If Only For a Moment in the Light
by finalitylife
Summary: Following Slade's return, Robin is completely lost about Raven. He doesn't know how to help her and she continues to pretend nothing is wrong. With the sudden arrival of a mysterious being, the end of everything closes in. Complete.
1. Default Chapter

1This is hopefully the start of a story revolving around Raven and the prophecy surrounding her. It will most likely be Rob/Rae and there will be an OC character introduced soon but lets just see where it goes from here if anywhere.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans so lets not try and sue me since I don't have anything to sue for.

Chapter 1: Contemplations of a Concerned Mind

Why? No matter how many times I think about it, no matter how many hours I spend brooding in the darkness of my room, I still can't find an answer. Or maybe I just don't want to believe the truth. I can feel it coming. After seeing that look in her eyes that look of utter hopelessness, I know there is something on the horizon that will change everything. Yet I still can't come to terms with it all.

For the first time in so long, since the day of my parent's death, I feel useless. There's so much I want to do, to say… to protect, but I just don't know what to do anymore. She won't tell me anything, wont give me a single piece of information to work with but I know what its all doing to her.

She pretends that nothing is wrong, pretends that everything is normal and that her birthday never happened but she forgets that I'm a detective. I watch her and notice that her eyes simply stare blankly at the book in front of her. I see her stare intently at her hands as if trying to will something away. She tried to hide the fact that she isn't eating, never allowing more than a slender hand to be visible from under her cloak. I was even witness to that single tear that escaped her eye when she thought no one was looking.

In the end its more than just what I see, its what I feel. Every since she entered my mind to save me from myself, I can feel her. I can feel the inner turmoil that's threatening to tear her apart. I can feel that she doesn't sleep much anymore, only a few hours a night of restless, nightmare plagued slumber. I catch glimpses of the terror that prevents her rest. Fire, destruction, death of all she holds dear. It truly is a terrifying sight, and I don't scare easily. She is slowly fading away and there's not a damn thing I can do about it.

Why am I so useless! Why am I such a coward! All I want to do is embrace her, make her feel safe and secure…loved. I can't though. Even when she is dying on the inside, even when she pulls away from us more day after day, I still can't do anything. I try to justify all the reasons why I can't tell her all the things I want to, all the reasons why I can't tell her how I feel. How her beauty captivates me, how my life is consumed by thoughts of her safety, of helping her, how I'll give me life to ensure that she doesn't have to hurting ever again. I don't know the exact moment I fell in love with her nor does it matter to me at this point. I just know that it is true. Three little words are all I've ever wanted to say to her yet it is those three words that will never be said.

I like to pretend that I've held back my feelings because I know it would disrupt the team. The crush Star has on me is so obvious its almost taken on a physical presence of its own. It's like that there's a giant pink elephant in the room and no one wants to truly acknowledge it. I'm also aware, though he might not know it himself, of the crush Beast Boy has on Raven. After Terra, he was devastated but as time went on I could see him slowly moving his affections toward our resident dark goddess. Admitting my feelings to Raven would not only destroy Starfire but it would also embitter Beast Boy. It's my job as the leader to keep the team together isn't it.

I also think back to the words of my mentor, him telling me that there is no room for love in this line of work. "Emotional attachment is just another place your enemy can attack." Those words play through my head over and over again yet I know they mean nothing to me. All these reasons and known of them real. I know I don't tell her because I'm afraid. I'm afraid that I'll be rejected. I'm afraid that if she knew she would run away and I would never see her again. I'm afraid she would simply laugh in my face and tell me to grow up and stop living in a fantasy world where me and her could be together.

I'm supposed to be a superhero but all I am is a damn coward. God how I hate you Richard Grayson. You fall in love but you are too weak to do anything about it, and now its too late. I can feel it because she can feel it. The end is coming. The end of what I have no idea but it will come, and all I can do is hope it won't consume us all in a tidal wave of destruction. All I can do is hope that when this is all over, I'll have the courage to tell her how much see means to me, all I can do is hope.

I glance at the clock and notice it is 3 in the morning. I close my eyes for a second concentrating on the bond between me and her. She is awake and in the living room, drinking tea. I climb out of bed and slowly press my mask to my face. I don't bother to put a shirt on, feeling comfortable in my pajama pants. My door opens with a swish and I quietly begin my walk toward the living room, toward her. Moving with stealth that could only come from years of training, I creep toward my destination. I try to glance around the corner, to spy on my little bird without being notice but I'm stopped in my tracks immediately by the sound of her voice.

"If you can feel where I am with the link Robin, what makes you think I can't feel you." Despite the lack of emotion in her voice, I can feel slight tension within her because of our link. I meekly walk into her field of vision, like a kid who had got caught stealing a cookie. As usual, she is completely covered in her cloak. Only the perfect beauty of her eyes and a single hand clutching a teacup are visible.

"Uh hey Raven. I guess it was stupid of me to try and sneak up on you of all people."

"Yes it was Robin," she says almost as if talking to me takes all her energy. I can see her hand shaking slightly as she sips her tea yet I don't mention it. She hates it as much as me to have weaknesses pointed out so keeping my mouth shut is my best bet.

"Looks like you couldn't sleep either Rae. Rough night?" I clench my fists at my stupid comment. I knew she had another nightmare and I shouldn't have brought up anything about it."

"Yes I did and don't call me Rae," the way she said it I knew that nothing else would be said on the matter. As usual she wasn't going to give me any of the information that I so desperately desired. I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding and walked over to the sink to get a glass of water. At least I wouldn't look like a complete idiot if I actually looked like I came to the kitchen for a reason.

A silence had settled over the room. The only sound was the quiet sips of tea taken by Raven and the occasional loud gulp of water taken by me. I stood there trying to think of something to say when Raven suddenly announced that she was going to go sleep. I glanced up at her as she placed her cup in the sink. She was so close to me yet I knew she had never been farther from me than she had been at that moment. I reached out my hand and placed it on her shoulder as she began to walk away. I could feel her whole body tense up at my touch but she didn't make any motion to forcibly remove my hand from her.

"Raven, I know you think your alone and I know your sick of everyone saying the same thing to you over and over again, but I need you to know that I…we are all here for you no matter what. I know you don't want to tell me anything about what's going on and you know I have always respected your privacy but I know that all this won't matter soon. I know from our link that whatever reason Slade came back for is approaching and that this revolves around you. I just need you to understand, that whatever comes I'll stand by your side till the end because I can't imagine a life without you in it. We all need you Raven despite what you may think and I'm willing to fight hell itself to keep you here. Goodnight Raven."

I felt Raven shudder toward the end of my little speech but the only reaction I got from her was a barely audible Goodnight Robin. I watched her silently glide off to her room but she stopped suddenly and turned to me and spoke,

"Robin, I know what you say is true, and I just hope you understand just how right you were on what is to come," and with that she disappeared into the shadows. I sat there silently for a few moments, pondering on exactly what she had meant by her final words.


	2. Is it Too Much to Ask for?

1Thanks to those that reviewed whether it was good or bad. Hey even neutral is good. I'm pretty indiscriminant. Raven's thoughts here and a little action. That's about it

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans so lets not try and sue me since I don't have anything to sue for.

Ch 2: Is it too much to ask for?

Stupid Idiot! Who the hell does he think he is! Azarath …Metrion …Zinthos. I need to calm down. Raven's mantra flowed through her mind over and over again trying to find relax herself. She had told Robin she was going bed, but she was far too worked up for that to ever happen. She also knew better than to try to sleep, lest the nightmares return. Robin had no idea what he was talking about. He stood there all smug and confident in his abilities to help her but nobody could help her, no matter how desperately she needed it, ho desperately she wanted it.

"Of all things to say, why did you have to mention Hell Robin. I know you have no idea what is coming or what I am but of all things why say that." Raven quietly played over her leaders words in her head. She had heard the same lines as if rehearsed by every member of her time following her birthday. She knew they cared, she knew that all they wanted to do was aid her in her troubles, but all she wanted to do was continue running from the truth.

However, tonight Robin's words had been different. She had felt so much from him when he had touched her through their link, so many conflicting emotions. She could feel the warmth emitting from him along with several other emotions she couldn't wrap her mind around. It was the same she felt from the others yet completely different in its own right.

"What were you feeling Robin. What were you…No." Raven finished her thought almost barely audible. It finally hit her like a ton of bricks. She knew exactly what that emotion was and to say the least, she was pissed off.

"Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! How dare he! Who do I look like, some naive little alien princess who's going to fall at his feet at the slightest touch. The nerve of that man! Sure I'm flattered I mean he is wonderful. Why would he l…hold it right there Raven. If you don't say it, maybe its not really happening. This whole situation is only going to cause problems for everyone and I can't afford to have any more problems right now. I can't let them get any closer to me right now, especially him.

It's getting too dangerous with Slade's return. Damn emissary of Satan. Why did my father choose now, just when everything was finally going good for me. I have a home, friends, R…" Raven was pulled from her musing by the explosion of a light bulb. Letting out a deep sigh she began chanting again. How she hated her emotions, her father, her damn cursed existence. Why couldn't she just have one moment of peaceful bliss. Was it too much to ask for?

"Later today, I'm really going to have to straighten out Robin. He's too important to the team, too important to me to allow him to walk this path. It would be so much easier if he turned is affections toward Starfire. I mean those two are supposed to be together and I'm destined to be alone…or dead. Another sigh escaped her tiny body as she continued to become more depressed. Maybe I should just tell him everything. One last shot to find some acceptance maybe event something greater. Suddenly, a flash of red and a high pitch wailing alerted Raven to the alarm. Gritting her teeth, Raven teleported through the wall and floated down the hall to the main room. All the Titans stood there accept Beast Boy who was still asleep clutched under Cyborg's arm.

"So Rob, who we looking at the wee hours of the morning? Mumbo decide to bother us again," Cyborg said with a slight smirk on his face. Robin simply looked at all of us as if choosing his words carefully.

"Its Brother Blood Cyborg. He's finally making his reappearance after his "disappearance from prison." The room suddenly got dead quiet. The silence was broken by a high pitched squeal from Beast Boy. Apparently after hearing the news, he had clenched so tightly that he started crushing the small changling underneath his arm.

"Hey watch it there man. Some of us are trying to sleep." One look into Cyborg's human eye burning with fury shut up Beast Boy real fast.

"Lets go take out the trash," and with that the Titan's were on the move.

Still Raven P.O.V.

The T-car and the R-cycle pulled up to where Brother Blood had been sighted only to find that nothing seemed to be going on. Standing in the middle of the street stood Brother Blood in his trademark robes with his trademark smirk across his face. The moonlight gleamed off his cybernetic implants. Standing next to him completely covered from head to toe in robes was an unknown figure. The Titans assembled in front of their targets, treading cautiously awaiting Robin's signal.

"Ah dear Cyborg. Welcome. It has been such a long time since I've seen you. Looking well as usual. Is that a new paint job?" Brother Blood chuckled to himself enjoying his little joke at the expense of Cyborg. Oh how he loved taunting his favorite "ex-student."

"Shut up Blood. Its time I put your scrawny ass back in jail where you belong. I don't know how you got out but it ain;t happening again," retorted Cyborg. One could almost feel the anger coming off the metal man. He needed to calm down. Anger never solved anything.

"Ah yes. My miraculous escape. You can thank everyone's favorite sociopath Slade for that one. He needed my special services for his newest plan so here I am. A free man who is just aching to get some revenge, but that is not why I am here at this moment. Call this an experiment if you will but I'm actually here to test out my new "student". I'm sure you'll just love him. He is exceptional and completely under my control I might add." I think that second malicious grin was too much for Cyborg. His anger had reached a boiling point and he finally exploded.

"Enough. I don't give a damn what you're here for, who your with, or what connection you have to Slade. I am going to kick your butt. Eat this Blood." Cyborg unleashed his sonic cannon directly at Blood who only seemed to grin wider. Just as I felt Robin forming the words to yell his battle cry of "Titan's Go" I couldn't help but widen my eyes at the sight in front of me. The person standing next to Brother Blood had stepped into the path of the blast. A single arm was raised and a hand was revealed. Rather than bend away as was we had seen of Brother Blood's power before, the blast simply absorbed into the hand as if it had never been there before.

An enraged Cyborg began charging the enemy only to be met with his own attack coming screaming back right at him. It connected squarely with his chest sending him flying back across the street into a car parked on the street. I could hear the mocking laughter of Brother echo down the street as Cyborg laid unmoving on top of the now crushed car.

"Really now Cyborg. That temper has always been a problem hasn't it. I guess that little lesson has taught you not to be so hasty. Im sure you'll find that blast to be significantly stronger than your own little toy. Now come on Titans. I'm sure you can do better than Tin man over there. "

Brother Blood's eyes burned crimson as the other individual lowered his arm and took a step forward. I tried to get a read on this new student but met heavy resistance because of Blood's mind control powers but also something else. It felt as if it's mind itself involuntarily recoiled in disgust at my presence. I didn't have anymore time to think about it because Robin finally managed to get his words out. Starfire and Robin charged forward as Beast Boy ran to check on Cyborg who still hadn't moved. I picked up a nearby car and hurled it at the target. The resulting explosion from the car, Robin's explosive birdarang, and a barrage of Starfire's starbolts, lit up the night sky at exactly where the "student" should have been. Brother Blood didn't even flinch at the explosion despite the close proximity of it.

I tried to see through the resulting smoke but it was far too thick. Suddenly I felt an unknown presence behind me, I started to turn around already chanting my words only to be cut off at Metrion. A fierce grip wrapped itself around my throat. The cold hand of the enemy lifted me up in front of me. Glowing red eyes peered out from under the hood boring into my own. In an instant, the eyes flashed to a pale blue and that's when I felt it. Words were being forced into my head. They were faint but somehow they had penetrated both Blood's and my own mental shields.

"Help me. Free me." That was all I could make out before getting one last look at blood red eyes and succumbing to unconsciousness.

Robin P.O.V:

I hurled my birdarang in a fit of fury right at the Titans newest enemy. The combined attacks of my fellow titans and myself erupted in flame but I did not stop there. It was never that easy. I extended my bo staff and charged through the smoke looking for my attacker only to find nothing. It was as if the student had disappeared. After a few moments the smoke had finally cleared and I stood face to face with Brother Blood. I was expected to be confronted with his arrogant smirk and some taunt but was shocked to find a different sight. Brother Blood seemed to be having some internal struggle. His eyes were burning red, and I could almost see a bead of sweat forming on his normally immaculate face. Suddenly, Brother Blood looked up and completely looked passed me as if I was the most insignificant thing on Earth and yelled.

"Stop. Do not harm the Daughter SoulBurn. I repeat do not harm the Gate."

I looked back to see what he was looking at only to find my mind completely go blank. I started running toward Raven without even a single thought. She was being held by her throat by whoever this SoulBurn was. Black energy seemed to be seeping out of Raven into him or her. I watched Raven being thrown to the ground, discarded as if she had no more use.

On vicious instinct, I throw my entire body at her attacker slamming us both into the pavement. The hood of the robe fell from the head revealing a young man no older than me. His eyes glowed the crimson evident of mind control and his face was nothing extraordinary. The only unusual aspect was the young man's hair. It was pure white. I stared at him for a few seconds before he suddenly vanished in a flash of blue. I turned back to Brother Blood to find him and SoulBurn standing back in their original position but now I found that same symbol that adorned Slade's mask on Brother Blood's forehead. He still seemed to be under some invisible strain.

"Well titans. This is over for now but I will return. Give Cyborg my love." And with that they were both gone in flashes of light. I ran over to Raven cradling her in my arms as I had done when after I had saved her on her birthday. Where her throat had been gripped there were burn marks in the shape of a hand. I checked her pulse and was relieved to find a stead beat. She looked so peaceful in her state, so beautiful. I was pulled from my thoughts as Starfire landed next to me with a frightened look on her face.

"Star get her to the infirmary NOW! I yelled a little to loudly but I had no time to apologize. "Beast Boy fly Cyborg there too. Everyone lets go." I rushed over to my bike and started it. In an instant I was racing back toward the tower with one thought on my mind, "Raven please be okay."


	3. Truth and Choices

1

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans so lets not try and sue me since I don't have anything to sue for.

Ch. 3: Truth and Choices

Fire burned around me. Jump City lied in ruin. The tower nothing more than a broken metal skeleton slowing sinking into never-ending heat. I could see my father as he towered over the landscape, four burning eyes sending a shiver down my spine. I malevolent grin crossed his face as I watched him march toward me, toward the four statues that were formally my friends. My body was paralyzed. I couldn't move. I couldn't help them. "Now to show you the price of having friends daughter." A massive foot came down crushing Cyborg and Beast Boy in an instant. I tried to cry out but no sound could be heard. Another foot came crashing down finishing off Starfire. I'm so sorry. I wanted to scream, yell, anything but that was not to be. Suddenly I could hear Robin's voice. He was real. He would save me. I was pulled back to the scene in front of me as I watched Robin struggling vainly in the grip of my Father.

"So this is the one who dared love a monster such as you. How pathetic. A mere human believing himself to be worthy of my one and only daughter." A dark life echoed the entire city.

"Raven! Help me please. Why are you just standing there!" Robin cried out. I wanted to help but I just couldn't move. I could feel the heat building around me as the symbols Slade placed on me formed. I wanted to tell myself this wasn't happening that this was only a dream but I could feel true terror building within me.

"Now dear daughter. It is time to punish you for trying to resist me." I watched with horror as Trigon began to squeeze Robin within his grasp. I could hear the sound of cracking rips and tearing flesh. I wanted to shut my eyes and cover my ears but I could not. Robin tried to scream but I doubt his lungs even could manage that. I bloody mess of gore and bone landed at my feet. What was left of Robin's face stared up at me still trying to mutter one word: Why? I could feel vomit rising at the sight yet I could not look away. I'm so sorry Robin. I should have never allowed this to happen. Why didn't my mother end this before I was born. My mind swam with dark thoughts only to be interrupted by my Father's voice.

"The prophecy shall be fulfilled. Both the innocent and the tainted shall be sacrificed to open the gate. The Last of the Fallen is the key to unlocking my prison. Very soon my daughter. Daddy is coming for you."

I shot up from my bed in a cold sweat to the sound of windows shattering somewhere. I tried to raise my hand to wipe my forehead only to find it being clutched in the hands of Robin. I ripped my hand away from him noticing the look of shock and sadness that barely crept into my face.

"Never touch me Robin." I threatened in my best emotionless voice but I knew I missed the warmth. I thought back to the dream and reprimanded myself for such thoughts. Can't let anyone get close, can't let anyone care for me.

"How are you feeling Raven" Robin asked with deep concern in his voice. "You've been out for about 5 hours.

"Fine." I replied a little more coldly than anticipated. "How is Cyborg?" I enquired. I was curious to know about the condition of my surrogate Big Brother. He was probably in worse shape than me anyways. I felt fine. Really, I did I tried to convince myself but I know I was far from fine. Damn Nightmares.

"He's good. The blast overloaded his system. It was pretty powerful and it was simply too much for his body to take. He's already back on his feet ranting and raving about exactly what he's going he's going to jam into Brother Blood when he sees him again." I could see that trademark lopsided grin forming on Robin's face. I tried to stop myself from smirking but couldn't

"At least its better than him fighting with Beast Boy about meat." I droned sarcastically.

"Yeah well I'm sure that will come up eventually. Just have some patience Rae." Was Robins reply.

"Didn't I tell you not to call me Rae," I said giving him a death glare. He only chuckled.

"Here Rae. I brought you some tea. Figured you'd want it when you woke up." I gladly accepted it but gave no response of any thanks. I was silently fuming about the whole Rae thing.

"So are you sure you're feeling better Raven because I wanted to ask you a few questions."

"Ask away. I feel fine." The words left my mouth before I could stop them. What was he going to ask me. Please don't be about emotions. Please don't be about feelings. I could feel nervousness running through my body but I revealed nothing. In retrospect, I wish he would have just confessed undying love to me right there instead of asking me what he did.

"Well when you were getting attack, I heard Brother Blood refer to you as the Daughter and said something about a Gate. I was hoping you could fill me in on anything you know." Instantly the coffee mug in my hand exploded into a million pieces. Robin shot back from the resulting explosion trying to cover himself. I could feel the cuts on my hand starting to bleed from the shrapnel but I didn't care. With that one question I somehow knew that I was going to have to fill them all in on the truth, the truth I had ran from and hidden for my entire life. The time had finally come and I felt at least they should know the truth before I ran again.

"Gather everybody in the main room Robin. I'll explain there, just leave me alone for a few minutes."

"Alright Raven but first you have to let me bandage your hands." I looked up at him and could feel the emotions pouring off him. I nodded my head in silent approval going against every rational thought in my head at that moment. I could heal myself on my own. I didn't need him. I didn't need him getting any closer to me than he already was but I simply couldn't resist as he tenderly began wrapping my hands. After he finished he stood up and silently left the room as I pondered exactly the ramifications of what was about to happen.

Everyone had gathered in the main room and all eyes turned to me as I glided in. Immediately Starfire was upon me embracing me in one of her bone-crushing hugs. I allowed her to do it without resistance because when it came to Star, resistance was just waste of energy. I may give Star a lot of grief but I did care for the girl. She was the only female around and by default I had spent time with her. Over time I had grown quite fond of her antics and even envied her in so many ways. She was so beautiful and carefree, freely expressing everything she wanted to. She was everything I wasn't but I did not hate her for it, but rather her loved her for it. If an occasional hug was all I had to give to make her happy, I would do it.

Finally Starfire let go and I straightened out my cloak. I could feel everyone's eyes on me and I half expected so corny joke from Beast Boy but I think even the young shapeshifter understood the importance of what I was going to say. I wasn't everyday that I called a team meeting to discuss well, anything.

"I know you all have a lot of questions for me. Questions I'm sure you've had for a very long time, especially following Slade's recent interest in me and I've finally decided to answer a few of them. I do not expect any interruptions." I glared at Beast Boy making sure he understood and he nervously nodded his head in agreement. I looked at Robin. His face as unreadable as his eyes, but I could feel what he was going through. It was as if he knew nothing good would come from this.

"First off, I am half-demon. That is where my powers come from and that is why I have this strange appearance." I saw Robin frown slightly at the end of my comment but he said nothing.

"I come from a world called Azarath. It is a dark, cold dimension that on occasions demons are allowed to enter and interact with the inhabitants. It wasn't until not that long ago that a great leader named Azar lead the people against any entering demons, closing all access off.

However, a few people did not believe in Azar and chose a different path. They chose to embrace the demons presence rather than scorn it. My mother was among them. In the end, these people made a terrible, terrible mistake. They allowed the most powerful demon of them all to enter into their world, if only for a few moments. On my world he was known as Trigon the Terrible. On most other worlds, he is known as Satan." The room had gained an eerily silence. Everyone was trying to take all this in. I'm sure it wasn't an easy fact to learn that demons did indeed exist and the devil that everyone feared so much was real.

"As if knowing his entrance into the mortal realm was only temporary, Trigon planted his seed into my mother. He raped her." I stuttered for a second at his part but quickly returned to my stoic self. "That is how I came to be. I am the Daughter of Trigon. Lord of the Underworld. Ruler of Hell. My father is Satan, and I am his Gateway into the Mortal Realm. Slade is his emissary and it is my destiny to bring Hell to the universe. Slade is back to open the gate that will allow my Father to permanently enter this realm."

I hung my head in shame as I finished my words. I knew they were all judging me. I could feel their eyes on me. Disgust, repulsion, Hate. I knew without even look at them these were their feelings. Suddenly, I felt a hand be placed on my shoulder. I looked up, already knowing it was Robin. I could feel his eyes trying too look into my soul, yeah right, a half-demon with a soul. I looked to the other members of my team and was shocked to see something I thought I'd never see. Within each of them I saw acceptance, love, and the desire to stand by my no matter what. I wanted to break down and cry tears of happiness. I wanted to embrace each and every one of them. Tell them thank you for simply being. I wanted to hug Robin and never let go. Despite all my desires, I knew what I had to do. If I ran then they would be safe, Robin would be safe. I slowly stepped back from Robin looking back to the floor.

"It is for all these reasons that I am leaving. By tomorrow I will be gone from your lives so that no harm will come to you. Now if you excuse me I have to go meditate." Before anyone could say anything, I had phased through the floor, fighting back that one inevitable tear that would escape from my eyes.

Robin P.O.V:

Back in the main room, everyone stood in shock. The information was tough to take in. It was finally understood why Slade had returned. What Raven was. At that moment, none of that truly mattered to me. The only thing that mattered to me was that Raven had said she was leaving us, leaving me. I tried to put on my leadership mask to try and talk to the rest of the team but I couldn't do it. My emotions were just too much. A cold, metal hand was played on my shoulder the same way I had placed mine on Raven's shoulder. I looked up into one human eye and one red artificial eye. A small smile spread across Cyborg's face.

"I don't know about fearless leader, but I think our number one priority right now is to make sure that little lady is safe and doesn't go nowhere without us." I couldn't help but smile at him. I saw smiles forming on all my teammates faces at the comment as well. I felt reenergized and stood up straight, confidence radiating off of me.

"You're one hundred percent right Cyborg. Let me go talk to her, and I'll straighten out this whole mess, and right after that, we start figuring out a way to send Blood, Slade, and whoever else straight to Hell." He gave me a silent nod of approval. I spun around, cape billowing out behind me as I sprinted toward Raven's room.


	4. One Moment

1A/N: No action here but Robin confronts Raven about her desire to run away from the Titans. Let's hope its written as well as I hoped it to be. Wanted it to work without anyone admitting their feelings to each other. Still too early for that A little plot development and Slade even gets a few lines. He has to be one of the greatest villains ever. Too bad he's now an underling.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans so lets not try and sue me since I don't have anything to sue for.

Ch 4: One moment

Robin P.O.V:

What to do, What to do. Three words that kept repeating through my head as I paced back and forth in front of Raven's door. After Cyborg's little encouragement speech I knew I had to talk to Raven. For some reason, I knew I was the only one with half a chance of getting her to say. I had waited about an hour after she left for her room. She needed to meditate, and I was definitely not stupid enough to try and talk to her when she was in need of that. So here I was pacing like some kind of cages animal trying to think of what I was going to say to her. 'Hey Rae, nice room. Sorry about the whole being the child of Satan and all but you can't leave because the team really needs you.' Yeah right. She would leave right after I finished my sentence.

I'm definitely too afraid to tell her how I feel even now when I know she could be gone forever. God I am such a coward and the fact she would probably banish me to never-ending darkness if I even used the L-word in her presence. Damn it Robin! You have to do something. You can't let her run away any more. You can't leave her alone in the coming storm. You have to help her. I leaned against Raven's door letting out a deep sigh. I held my head in my hands hoping that some answer would come to me, some type of divine intervention would just pop into my head.

However, the only answer I received was a Swoosh as I fell backwards into darkness. Landing hard on my back, it took me a few seconds to take in my surroundings because of the blackness. I quickly jumped to my feet and straightened my uniform. I glanced around receiving the feeling that I was in some type of gothic medieval library. It was dark, mysterious, expressing itself symbolically in its subtleties. It was Raven. My "sight-seeing" was interrupted abruptly by the cold voice of Raven.

"The only reason I'm allowing you in here is because I need to perform a ritual on you to break that pesky bond we have. It's the only way to ensure that none of you can ever find me again." It was hard to see Raven because she blended so well in with her surroundings. There she sat in on her bed in her meditative pose. No part of her body was visible, not even her eyes as her hood was up and her face looked down. Finding my voice I responded with as much confidence as I could muster.

"Sorry to disappoint you Raven, but I'm here to talk about something completely different." Immediately Raven looked up at me. Her eyes glowed in the darkness of our surroundings and under any other circumstances would have captivated me. Instead, I met them with an equally intense look.

"There is nothing to talk about Robin. Everything that needs to be said has been said. You know what I am now. You know what follows me and what they desire. I'm doing this for the good of all existence. If Slade can't find me, he can't bring about the prophecy. This world, the Titans, you, will all be safe. There is no reason for you to fight this fight. My existence should be no longer your concern." As she spoke she slowly lowered her head again, refusing to meet my gaze. It was my time to speak.

"Raven, you have to listen. No one on the team cares what you are. No one wants you to leave us. We all want to protect you whether its from Slade, your Father, Brother Blood, hell if Killer Moth shows up trying to hurt you we'll kick his ass too. You have a family here Raven, people that care about you so very much. As much as you don't want to admit it, you've found people that will never turn their back on you, people who are willing to fight for you no matter what." I was abruptly cut off by Raven. Her voice was angry as she shot up from her bed into a standing position.

"Don't you understand Robin. If I stay, you are all going to die horrible, horrible deaths. This city, this world will become only the first planet to be turned to ash by my Father. If I stay everything that we've ever defended will be destroyed. Don't you understand Robin. She wrapped her arms around herself as she finally gained control of her voice. In a voice I could barely here, I heard Raven say, "I'm a monster." I so badly wanted to embrace her right then and there. Tell her she wasn't a monster. That she was a hero, that she was a beautiful goddess of a woman that I needed but I could not find my voice.

"Don't you understand Robin. I was never supposed to exist. My mother wanted to kill herself when she found out what she carried within her, that her unborn baby would bring about Armageddon. She was two seconds from throwing herself off a cliff to ensure I would never be. Azar stopped her. Told her that I could be used as a weapon against Trigon and his demon brethren. Told her that with proper control I could be used to help the universe. What a load of garbage. My mother abandoned me at age 3 and never once can I remember holding her as mother would a daughter. The people of Azarath hated me, scorned my existence. The only one who tolerated me was Azar and she wanted me as a weapon.

Don't you see Robin! They all knew that I am a monster. They all knew I was pure darkness. Why can't you see that and just leave me alone." I stared at Raven as she clutched herself. Her tiny body shook slightly as I could tell she was trying to repress her sobs. Here for the first time, I was seeing the part of Raven that she hid from everyone for so long. A scared, vulnerable little girl who never once was told she was loved. Never once was she held or reassured. She felt so utterly and totally alone and the feelings I picked up from my link to her nearly ripped my heart in half.

I don't know if it was because of my emotions, her emotions, are just blatant stupidity on my part, but at that moment I did the first thing I could think of. I walked up to the shaking girl and hugged her. I gently placed my arms around her and held her as tight as I could without hurting her. I was shocked when she did not pull away nor did she embrace me back. She simply buried her head into my chest and never said a word.

"Raven. I know this is hard for you to believe but the Titans love you. We need you not because of your powers but because of who you are. We need you to be Cyborg's little sister, we need you to keep Beast Boy in line, we need you to be Star's best-friend, we need your sarcastic comments to lighten the mood, we need your revel head when we all start fighting, I need you… we need you to keep this family together and happy. I told you before that I would fight Hell itself if I had to for you. I never thought that would ever happen but the offer still stands Raven. I'm willing to stand by your side no matter what the cost. I will die for you Raven. I will die for you." I felt Raven shudder at the last of my words. She finally decided to speak though it came out little more than a whisper.

"Shut up Robin. Just please shut up. Just hold me. If only for a moment, just please hold me." I could hear her sniffle slightly as she dug her head deeper into my chest. I felt her slender arms reach around me and for the first time in my life, I was hugging Raven and she was hugging me. I rested my head on top of hers and simply stood there. I don't know how long we stood there and I really didn't care. All I know was that I was holding my Raven, and if it was only for a moment in the darkness of her room, I would show her what it was like to be in the light.

In Unknown Location:

Brother Blood found himself being beaten into the ground. His right arm had been broken off and he was sure he could feel a broken rip or two. Slade stood menacing above him, his one eye gleaming from under his mask.

"Now Blood, you ensured me you had complete control over him did you not. You ensured me that in the heat of battle you would not lose control" Another swift kick met Blood's side as he skidded across the ground.

"I'm sorry Slade. It wasn't my fault. I didn't realize Raven's mental powers would be so strong. I didn't…" Brother Blood's comment was cut off by a punch to the jaw.

"He should have never even touched the Daughter during that battle. " Slade bellowed. The walls of the dark cavern shook with his rage but ended quickly as Slade regained control. "I broke you out of prison for the sole purpose of controlling his mind and carrying out my orders. If you can't do that then why should I allow you to live."

As Slade spoke the strange mark on his forehead appeared. It glowed in the darkness in the cavern giving Slade a demonic appearance. Brother Blood shuddered in fear. Slade placed his hands behind his back and turned around and began speaking again. "You are lucky I can not mark him as I have my other servants to ensure their…cooperation. You are lucky I can't completely control you through markings because of your powers. I still need SoulBurn to collect the offerings and because of that fact, I still need you. However, if you even remotely fail me again, I will make an eternity in Hell feel like paradise. Have I made myself clear."

"Yes Master. Yes you have. May I be excused now?" Brother Blood spoke as he stood into standing position. He felt the pain in his chest from his ribs but did not openly show it.

"Yes. Leave my presence. I must go speak to our Lord," and with that Brother Blood left the room. Slade stood staring at his monitors as he watched his minions, courtesy of the H.I.V.E, finish constructing the final site of the ceremony. "Soon. Very soon." A hellish laugh echoed through the cavern.

Deep within Slade's complex, contained within a cold metal cell laid the body of a young man. His entire body ached and his head was clouded do to the drugs he was given to keep him unconscious. Two pale blue eyes forced themselves open despite the pain. The fact he was still awake was a testament to the resistance he had built up over the months of his imprisonment to the many drugs he was give.

He was trying to focus all his concentration on one thing. The unique aura of that girl he had fought. It stood out like a black speck on a perfect white background. He didn't know why but feeling that aura disgusted him but it was his only choice. He pulled himself into standing position, leaning heavily against the metal wall of his cell. Every last bit of his energy was now focused and in a flash of pale blue, he was gone from his cell without a trace. Seconds later, a mind controlled H.I.V.E agent opened the cell and walked in with a syringe to find nothing there.

Titan's Tower:

Cyborg and Beast Boy quietly played video games, lacking much of their usual energy. Starfire sat between them with an empty look in their eyes. All three of them were concerned with Raven and were hoping Robin would come back soon with good news.

"Do you think she threw him into another dimension?" Beast Boy asked with a slight smile trying to lighten the mood.

"She would only do that to you BB," was Cyborg's reply. Beast Boy shot back.

"Hey I take offense to that. I believe she threatened you once with that when you wouldn't stop calling her Rae." Cyborg's only response was a deep sigh. Starfire finally started to speak up.

"Friends. Do you think we should also go check on friend Raven in case friend Robin did not fare well." Cyborg was about to reply but was interrupted by a flash of light as a body appeared in front of them and crashed straight threw the living room table.

"On any other day, I might consider that a little bit strange," was Cyborg's only response as he stared at the robed body in front of him.


	5. The Voice of Reason

1A/N. Those of you who have reviewed (Im not capable of typing what I should right now) I thank for everything. Everyone had a good night or whatever.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to the Teen Titans so don't even try suing me for the minuscule property I have.

Ch. 5: The Voice of Reason

Raven P.O.V:

I'm not sure how long we stood there but for the first time in so very long, I felt safe. I didn't want this feeling to ever leave but of course it did. Robin's communicator just had to start buzzing. I felt anger building inside of me as Robin's arms left me. Why does God hate me? Oh right, the whole spawn of Satan thing. I gritted my teeth as I spoke my mantra in my head trying to calm down.

"This had better be important Cyborg?" I could hear the annoyance in Robin's voice. It kind of shocked me. If Cyborg was contacting him it was almost definitely important and Robin was not one to shy away from his duty. I could hear Cyborg's frantic voice but could not see his face on the communicator.

"I need you down in the infirmary right now Robin. We have ourselves an unexpected visitor."

"Alright Cy. I'm on my way." Robin turned to look at me. I could tell by his look that he was wondering if I would be there when he got back. With as little emotion as possible I responded.

"I'm coming with you. I have to make sure you don't mention what just happened in here." Robin gave a slight smile but it quickly faded when I gave him a death glare. "I'm serious Robin. Not a word." He nodded and we were on our way to the infirmary.

When we arrived, I was greeted once again by Starfire. She didn't run over and hug me but she was positively glowing when she saw me.

"Friend Raven! It is so good to see you. How do you feel?"

"Calm down Star. Its only been a few hours." I responded. Her smile immediately fell and I felt the slightest bit of guilt. "I'm fine Star. Thanks for asking. Her smile quickly returned and she giggled with glee. I looked over at where Cyborg was and saw who our new visitor was. I was shocked but didn't show it. There was the young man who had attacked us with Brother Blood laying unconscious on one of our beds. Various machines were hooked up to him and I could hear the steady sound of his heartbeat. Robin was the first to say something.

"Where did he come from."

"Would you believe out of thin air," was Cyborg's response. Robin continued to glare at him. "Yeah okay well we were all sitting on the couch minding our own business and he just appeared crashing through our living room table. I don't know who the hell he is other than the fact that he has a lot of drugs in his bloodstream that are keeping him knocked out.

"That is the guy who attacked us with Brother Blood," Robin quickly reponded. As if the young man was on fire, Cyborg shot away from the bed activating his sonic cannon. Robin tried to calm him down.

"Calm down Cyborg. He's unconscious, and I don't think he is a threat anyways. Remember, Blood said he was under his control so if he's here, that means Blood isn't in control anymore. Cyborg nodded his head and took a few steps back but did not return his arm to its normal state.

"This guy could have some answers to exactly what's going on and even with Raven's recent confessions, we still don't know completely what to expect from Slade. Cyborg, I want you to keep a watch on him. The second he wakes up I want to know about it. Everyone else, take some time to relax or sleep or whatever because I having a feeling we are all going to need it, especially you Rae."

Robin flashed his cocky grin at me. I immediately pulled my hood up and walked out of the room. How I wanted to slap him right then and there. He was right though. I was tired. In my mind, I went over the last few hours of my life. Robin had convinced me not to run away from them all, and I think unintentionally had given me a small piece of his hope. As I walked into my room, I couldn't help but enjoy the feeling of having hope for the first time in my cursed existence.

Robin P.O.V:

After dispensing my orders, I had quickly gone to my room. My body felt fine but my mind felt like it had been up for days, yet I still didn't sleep. I felt like I had walked around in a giant circle and now once again, I was spending hours I should have been resting brooding in my room. A lot had happened in the last few hours and I don't think I had managed to wrap my mind around it entirely, especially with what happened in Raven's room. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't enjoyed her touch, her embrace but in the end, I was more confused than ever. I was not able to tell her my true feelings even though I almost did. I was content to simply hold my beloved and take away her loneliness for a little while.

I sat there pondering what she felt about me. Did she share even a fraction of my feelings toward her or did I just happen to be there at her moment of weakness? These thoughts were going to drive me crazy. All I knew is that my feelings could hold off. There was too much at stake right now to selfishly disrupt the team's unity by confessing anything to Raven. Starfire would…" I was interrupted by a knocking at my door.

I jumped in surprise but quickly regained my composure. I got up and opened the door only to be completely surprised by the warm face of Starfire. She was dressed in her pajamas which of course were pink and grasped some type of alien stuffed animal tightly in her arms. She seemed really nervous as she gripped the stuffed animal tighter to her chest. I was truly an adorable sight. Starfire broke the silence by asking to come in. I simply nodded in approval and walked into my darkened room. I sat down in my desk chair and motioned for her to sit on my bed. She sat down tucking her legs underneath her never once loosening her grip on her toy. Even though I showed a completely calm demeanor, my mind was racing a mile a minute. Please o Please do not do what I think your going to do Star. Please keep your feelings to yourself just like everyone else. If there is a God you will grant me this one favor. Starfire gave me a warm smile and proceeded to speak.

"I'm sorry to disturb you Robin, but there are a few things I'd like to ask you…about Raven." I looked at her dumbfounded but managed to ask her to continue.

"I am very worried about friend Raven. It took much from her to tell us what she did and I am afraid she is still going to leave us, preventing us from providing aid to her in her time of need." Typical Star. So very selfless, always worrying about other. I couldn't help but smile.

"I don't think she is going to leave us Star. I talked with her and told her how much the team cares about her and needs her. She is going to let us help her I think." I expected Star to jump up for joy and go on a rant about the Pudding of Happiness but she remained in her position only smiling slightly.

"That is good to hear Robin. It makes me very happy, but there is one other thing I wanted to ask." Her smile faded away slowly and I'm sure a look of confusion was on my face. "Have you told friend Raven that you love her yet?" I'm sure if it was possible my eyes would have bugged out of my head in some comical manner. How did she know?

"Whatever gave you the idea that I love Raven?" I managed to blurt out still reeling from shock.

"It is quite obvious friend Robin, or at least obvious to me. Ever since the day of Raven's birth and Slade's return, it has become even more obvious. When I first joined this team, you spent so much time with me. You helped me to learn Earth customs, you protected me, you even danced with me at the celebration of the Prom. I would catch you staring at me longingly when you thought I didn't notice." I tried to hide a blush but fortunately my room was dark enough so that she couldn't see any color change.

"I have noticed as of late that you desire to spend less time with me, instead prefer to simply sit quietly in the room of living while Raven is reading. I see you stare at her with the same looks you used to give me. It has been that way even before she entered your mind. I can feel it Robin. I can feel just how deeply you care about Raven, far deeper than I ever felt from you toward me" Starfire let out a little depressed sigh as she finished speaking. I tried to take it all in. Starfire had busted me. Of all people, it was Starfire who had figured it all out. I went to open my mouth to speak but Starfire raised her hand to silence me.

"It was hard for me to accept Robin. I am sure everyone is aware of the strong emotions I feel toward you as I do not go to great lengths to hide them. When I finally realized that your heart lied with Raven I was devastated but as a true Tamaranian I kept my pain on the inside and continued to act as if nothing was wrong. I contemplated going back home, but I knew I could never leave you all. I love you all far too much. It wasn't until recent events that I finally figured out my place in all of this. It is my duty to help my best friend who is a boy and my best friend who is a girl." I stared at Starfire. Her eyes had become brighter yet her mouth remained in a slight frown.

"What are you trying to tell me Star?" I asked, wondering what she meant by "her duty."

"I was too afraid to tell you how I truly felt and in the end it became too late. I lost my chance to be with you. It is a deep regret in my heart, but I will eventually, with time, come to terms with it." She had placed her toy down and had now stood up from her seat. As I looked at her face at that moment, I did not see a naïve alien girl but a strong young woman with a purpose.

"I will not allow you to make the same mistake I have made Robin. I will not allow you to repress your feelings until it is too late and I believe it is almost becoming too late. Tell her Robin. Tell her how you feel. She needs someone to hold on to more than ever and I don't think her friends will be enough when the end comes." Starfire had kneeled on one knee in front of me and take my hands into her. She looked up at me with so much raw emotion in her eyes. "Tell her you love her Robin. For her sake as well as yours, tell her." Once again I had found myself speechless. Looking into her eyes, I felt like I could do anything.

"You are right Star. You are so right. I've been such a coward. Thank you. Thank you so much." I pulled Star up and gave her hug. She immediately embraced me as well. It felt good. Different from when I had hugged Raven, but it still felt good. Starfire pulled away from me and the face of a naïve, shy little girl had returned.

"There is one more thing I wish to ask from you Robin. You do not have to do it if you do not wish but I have to ask. I wish you to kiss me. Just once I would like to feel what is like to kiss you, before you are lost to me completely." I couldn't help but smile at the young alien's request. I tilted her head up and gave her a soft gentle kiss on her lips. I pulled away and saw that her eyes were closed and she had a goofy grin on her face. Her eyes slowly fluttered open and her smile got bigger.

"Now go Robin. Go and find true love." I quickly hugged her again and just as I was about to open my door I felt my communicator go off. I opened it quickly to see Cyborg's face.

"Hey Rob. This guy is awake down in the infirmary. Hurry up at get here," and with that he was gone.

…Somewhere in Gotham City, Batman stood perched on top of one of the many buildings of his city. As if out of nowhere, the loudest and angriest swear he had ever heard echoed through out. The first thought that popped into the dark knights head was," That sure as hell sounded a lot like Dick"


	6. Soul Sacrifice

1A/N: Well here's another one, a long one too. Feels good to be passed 10,000 words. Technically two in one day, though ch. 5 was finished at like 4 in the morning. Its amazing that when you know you have to study you do everything else possible except studying. This one is a little angsty. Gets a little humorous at the end. It may not seem to fit but I think that using humor is a defense mechanism by Robin and Cyborg to help deal with everything that is going on cause it sure is a lot.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to the Teen Titans so don't even try suing me for the minuscule property I have.

Ch. 6: Soul Sacrifice

Robin P.O.V:

Of all the damn times to wake up you have to choose now. I was going to do it, I was going to tell Raven, but no, you have to be a jerk and wake up. Calm down Robin, It wasn't his fault, or maybe it was. If it was you can beat the shit out of him. Heck you should beat him up for hurting Raven in that fight. And then you can kill Brother Blood. And then Slade. Definitely Slade. When I find him I'm going to cram that mask of his so far up his…calm calm calm. I really need to get one of the stress balls.

Stupid...you really shouldn't have sworn so loud in front of Starfire. She doesn't need to know those words. Bruce probably heard me all the way in Gotham, yeah right like that's possible. I quietly laughed to myself as approached the infirmary. Immediately I felt myself wander to the task at hand as I knew it was time to get answers, answers that should help me protect Raven, to help end her nightmare. Cyborg was waiting by the door as I approached with a strange look on his face.

"Hey Robin, did you just scream a few seconds ago? Cause I could have sworn I heard you dropping F-bombs." I smiled sheepishly at Cyborg.

"I have no idea what you're talking about Cy. I was asleep." Yeah that should work nicely. No need for anyone to know anything about my personal life, well except for Starfire who seems to know more about it than me. I still am in awe about that girl. Just when you think you have someone figured out. "So how is our patient doing?"

" He's awake but you already knew that. He's little groggy with one hell of a headache apparently but other than that, he seems physically fine."

"Do you think he's dangerous?"

"Man even if he was the guy can barely get up. He's about as dangerous as Starfire's cooking." Cyborg began laughing at his own little joke. Had I not have my mask on he would have seen me raise an eyebrow.

"Need I remind you of what happened to us last time she cooked for us. I never knew a person was capable to vomiting more than their own body weight." We both started laughing it up as Cy patted me on the back in agreement. "Well let's get this interrogation over with then shall we Cy."

"After you fearless leader. After you." Cyborg mock saluted me as I walked past him into the infirmary. Time to get serious. Our newest visitor was currently in bed though he had managed to sit up. His eyes immediately fell on us as we walked in. I quickly noticed his eyes since they stood out as much as Starfire's did…or Raven's. They were such a pale blue that they almost seemed translucent. I know eyes are supposed to be windows into the soul but this was a little too much. I felt like if I looked hard enough I'd be able to look right through and see his brain. It was slightly creepy.

Normally, I would have also taken immediate notice of his hair which was pure white but I had already encountered that feature during our battle, and then later when he first was placed in the infirmary. His skin was pale but nowhere near like Raven's. He just looked like somebody who hadn't been in the sun for a while. As I took in his appearance, I got the impression that he was doing the same thing to me. I met his eyes but realized that he wasn't really looking at me, but rather seemed to be looking right through me. With his eyes, it was slightly unsettling.

"Where am I? Who are you?" A raspy voice managed to get out with some slight difficult. Apparently he was still in pretty bad shape.

"My name is Robin. I am the leader of a group of superheroes called the Teen Titans. You are currently at our home and base of operations Titan's Tower. The gentleman behind me is called Cyborg. He is my number 2 in charge." Cyborg silently nodded at him as his gazed moved over to him at Cyborg's mention. The unknown young man seemed to be processing the information. A strange smile crept to his face as a quiet chuckle escaped him.

"Titans…fallen Gods." That was all he said as he looked down removing his gaze from us.

"We've introduced ourselves now I'd like to know who you are. I would also like to know what you are doing here and what connection you have to Brother Blood or a man called Slade." I tried to keep my voice calm but saying Slade's name always seemed to come out as more of hiss when I spoke it." The young man seemed to shutter slightly at Slade's name, a typical reaction by anyone who had the unfortunate pleasure of encountering that monster.

"I…I do not know my name, but…that monster you call Slade chose to call me Soulburn." The words came out slow as if each one was harder to say than the last. "I am here because I needed help, needed to get away from terrible things." He let out a deep breath as he raised one had to his head.

"Whatever they injected me with to keep me asleep when I was of no use, I became resistant to it. I finally was able to gain a small amount of control of myself and I teleported myself here, away from the pain. I looked for the cold blackness that I fought against when I attacked you. I found it and brought myself to it. I believed that you would help me since you fought against the one who controlled my mind. I do not like the blackness, it hurts me to feel it, but it is nowhere as bad as the void I feel when I am around Slade. I was his tool. So much blood on my hands. So much blood because of them." He stopped speaking. His eyes seemed to gloss over as he stared off into space. His body shook slightly as if was seeing something horrible that only he could see. I knew I would have to be careful in my questioning. He didn't seem dangerous but he did seem unstable as of the moment.

"How long were you forced to work for Slade? What did he make you do?" I tried to make my voice sound friendly but I'm sure I failed miserably at that. He began speaking but never once looked at us.

"I do not know for how long. I do not know even who I am. I was only awakened to do the terrible things and even then I had no control. He used me because I have power. He used me to hurt so many innocent." He stopped talking once again. It seemed even speaking these words caused him great pain.

"Yes. This is not the first time Slade has used someone because of their powers." I could feel my fists clench as I looked down, thinking back to all the times Slade had manipulated those around him to get what he needed. Thunder and Lightning, the H.I.V.E, me, …Terra. So many lives affected by his mad quest for control and power.

"You do not understand Robin." I was pulled from my thoughts by his sudden desire to speak. I looked up at him and saw a haunted look in his eyes. "No one should have to understand what it is like to rip the essence from someone. No one should have to watch the life drain from their eyes as their soul is pulled from them." I stepped back in shock at his comment. I could hear Cyborg gasp. Cyborg managed to find his voice first.

"What! That's not possible. Who even knows if souls exist let alone be able to remove it." Cyborg became silent when I noticed a dark look form in SoulBurn's eyes.

"You can call it a Soul, call it essence. You can call it the core energy of a person's being. It does not matter what you call it but it is there. In everyone of us, even you metal man." I could feel the anger build up in Cyborg at the last comment.

"Now listen here you white haired freak…" I turned to Cyborg and raised me hand to silence him. With a reluctant look he refrained from finishing his sentence. It was my turn to speak.

"How are you capable of such a thing?"

"It is…It is hard to explain. Imagine there are strings connecting everyone and everything. Ever person, every tree, every piece of dirt, it is connected through these strings. In a way, everything shares a common bond, an underlying energy that covers every inch of this universe. I can feel these bonds. I can feel this energy and can manipulate it with great effort. It is through this that I was able to connect to those poor people, and rip their souls away. I do not know how I have these abilities. I don't know anything about myself. Slade somehow found me, knew what I was capable of, and used me." I stood there trying to take all this in. It was hard to believe someone like this could exist. I didn't want to admit it but it frightened me a little.

"You said you were forced to do this to people but there have been no deaths or people claming they've been attacked in Jump City by you. How do you explain that."

"When you lose a soul, in a sense you do not die. You fall into a coma that you will never wake up from. You are dead in every sense of the word only your body continues to look as if nothing happened. I have committed this foul act not only here but around the world. Slade did not want to be noticed." A grim look crossed his face. I listened to his answer and thought back to recent reports I had read in the paper. I recalled one about a convent in a nearby city where 4 nuns had inexplicitly fallen into a coma at the same time. It was believed to be some strange disease as there was no sign of a crime. Maybe he was telling the truth. If he was, he had been forced to commit terrible crimes. I looked at him again.

"How many. How many lives were you forced to take? and why for that matter."

"I do not know exactly how many. It became a blur after awhile. All the people were innocent, truly innocent. Holy people, children, entire loving families, taken away. It had to be in the hundreds." My eyes widened in shock. "As for why..." his voice lost all emotion as he spoke, The souls are meant to be offered up as sacrifice in order to open the Gate."

Whatever feeling of dread I had been carrying around with me just magnified about a hundred fold. Soul stealing and unholy sacrifices was bad enough, but that damn gate again. Raven said she is the gateway to Hell. This is bad. Very, very bad. Maybe I was guilty of ignoring the true scope of what Raven had said, maybe I just truly didn't want to believe in demons and devils and hell, but it was at that moment that I realized that it didn't matter what I wanted to believe in. Something very bad was coming, and it was coming for Raven, and me and the other titans were the only thing standing in the way of the coming storm.

My head felt like it was going to explode but I maintained my composure because I needed to be solid right now. I could feel Cyborg's eyes on me, waiting for me to say something but I couldn't think. Fortunately I was saved by the sound of the door opening. I turned around a little to quickly, slightly jumpy with all the information I had been privy to in the past day or so. I couldn't help but smile when I saw Raven standing there. It was the first time in a very long time I had seen her with her hood down when around us. She truly was beautiful.

"So I see our visitor is awake. Has he told you any useful information?" Straight to the point. That's my Raven.

"Yes in fact. Let's just say there's a lot going on we weren't aware of. A lot of people out there that are dead because of Slade." Even Raven seemed taken a back by the news of people dead. As superheroes, we had been successful in protecting almost everyone we ever had to. Terra was our most regrettable loss, the one that hurt us deepest, but death was still a foreign concept to us since we had started saving people. Death was a part of my past and I had hoped it would stay there, but I was never naïve enough to believe that it would stay there. I just didn't believe it would come this soon.

"What do you mean dead?" I was about to respond but was halted by the sound of someone growling deeply behind me. Raven seemed to notice it first because she seemed to be glaring threateningly at SoulBurn. I turned around and no longer saw pale blue eyes. Instead SoulBurn's eyes had turned completely blue, much like Starfire's turned green when she was using her powers and he was indeed growling toward Raven. I heard Cyborg form his arm into his sonic cannon in case an attack was going to occur. I felt my self instinctively go for a birdarang as I stepped in front of Raven. No one would hurt Raven, not while I was here. Out of nowhere, the growling stopped and his eyes returned to normal. He seemed to shake his head as if trying to gain control.

"I'm so sorry…the darkness…it…but there is light…don't have to fear." He seemed to be rambling to himself trying to relax. I could not hear all his words nor could I really understand what he was talking about as if to show he wasn't a threat anymore he had laid back down in bed staring at the ceiling. Cyborg was the first to resume breathing.

"Someone want to tell me what the hell just happened there." I turned to Raven who had managed to even look paler than she normally did. She caught me looking at her, holding the gaze she knew came from under my mask. The room had grown silent, or maybe it hadn't. Ever sense I had was focused on the young woman in front of me. Such beautiful eyes…

"I have to go meditate. I'll be in my room," and with that Raven raised her hood and disappeared at the door. My attention turned back to SoulBurn. There were still some things I wanted to know but instead found that he had fallen back into unconsciousness. I turned toward Cyborg who had a slight smile on his face.

"What are you looking at me like that for?" Cyborg only chuckled to himself. "I'm serious. What?"

"Ya know Rob," again he chuckled to himself, "Its amazing how bad you have it for that little lady." And for the second time it a matter of about an hour, I was being busted by one of my teammates.

"What! How did you…" but Cyborg cut me off.

"You'd have to be blind not to see it man. Me and Beast Boy talk about it all the time. Wondering when your going to toughen up at tell her. I think the only one who doesn't know is Starfire which is probably a good thing." I smile crossed my face.

"Would you believe Starfire just confronted me about this whole thing right before you called me down hear" Cyborg's human eye grow large.

"Really now. How'd that go."

"Surprisingly good. She seems to be okay with it or at least will be eventually. She's stronger than I think any of us gave her credit for. She just regrets never telling me how she felt about me earlier and doesn't want me to lose out the same way with Raven."

"Now that's some good advice. With everything going on, you really should tell her soon. Also, now me and BB can talk behind your back with Starfire so try to make things more interesting will ya." Cyborg had the biggest smile at his face as I glared at him trying to look intimidating but even I couldn't help but smirk.

"Don't worry Cyborg. I'll tell her. I'll her when the time is right which I think is coming up very soon." A huge smile spread across my face. "I just don't think its proper to confess my feelings to Raven on the same day that I kissed Starfire." Cyborg nodded his head in agreement but then stopped.

"WHAT!"

"Calm down Cy. I'll explain everything, but can we do it outside. Talking about my personal life in front of that guy is just creeping me out." Cyborg looked at me for a sec before we both busted out laughing walking out the door. It's amazing after all the terrible things I had heard just a few minutes ago that I could laugh like that. I guess having great friends and being in love can make everything seem a little bit better.

In Slade's Lair;

Slade kneeled on one knee in a dark cavern in front of a symbol of fire and a dark altar. A ring of fire surrounded him as a voice of the purest evil echoed through out the room.

"What do you mean he's gone! I should rip you in half right now for this failure! I clearly told you we need him to collect the souls. Without him the Gate can not be opened." Slade could feel immense pain shoot through his entire body. It felt like he was being burned alive all over again only it would not stop.

"Master please. We have collected enough pure souls. He is no longer needed. He knows no details of our plan. He doesn't even know himself. He is no threat." Every word was fought out against the pain. Slade had not shown weakness before, he would not show it now. The pain suddenly stopped as the booming voice continued.

"Good. We have part of the sacrifices. The time draws close. Now I must only wait for the release. Then the gate shall be opened. Do you know where he disappeared too?"

"Yes Master. He is with your daughter. Should I go retrieve him for you? His powers are still needed to open the gate and he will be very useful when the time comes to obtain the final pieces"

"That is not necessary emissary. Let him have his freedom for now. He is broken already but still; let him have time to obtain a little bit of hope. It will be more enjoyable to crush it when I claim this world because I know who will be watching and that will make my revenge all the sweeter." A dark laugh erupted, shaking the very walls.


	7. Origins of the Underworld

1

A/N: Some of you may be wondering how I have so much time to update. Yeah I really haven't been sleeping a lot so gives me plenty of time to write. Also, maybe some of you are wondering why Beast Boy gets no time. Well, ever since Robin hallucinated and fought Slade in his mind and Beast Boy annoyed me to know end with his sneezing and shape changing, I have trouble putting him anywhere except maybe the trash. But he will have his moments in this story. Much more later I'm sure. Let me know if anything isn't good. I did write this pretty late.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans so lets not try and sue me since I don't have anything to sue for.

Ch. 7: Origins of the Underworld

Robin P.O.V:

"And that Robin, is exactly what I'm going to do to you if you hurt Raven in any fathomable way. Is that clear." I'm sure my face was probably green. Could someone really do that with a blowtorch? After some talking with Cyborg, he finally decided to do the whole Big Brother routine about me going after Raven and he did a damn good job. I was going to be having nightmares about this talk for years. I managed to pull myself together to give a nod in agreement.

"Now that's what I wanted to hear. Now you go talk to Raven. Find out what happened back in there and make sure she's okay and if you find the time confess your deepest feelings to her but keep your hands out of the forbidden zones and you'll be good. I'm going to go check on Mister Soul-stealer in there and maybe get some more information. Have fun," and with a huge grin on his face, Cyborg walked back into the infirmary.

"Now that was scarier than facing Slade, well almost. Time to go face the real scariest thing I've ever had to do, time to go talk to Raven," and at a very slow pace, I began walking to her room.

Raven P.O.V:

"Azarath…Metrion…Zinthos. Azarath…Metrion…Zinthos." Finally a little control. I can't do this. This is all too much to handle. Who is that guy and why did I want to hurt him. Why did my demon half call for blood? Maybe he's a threat to that part of me. Maybe he can help. No Raven, don't think like that. He's probably another person who will try to kill you the first chance he gets. Right now the only people you can trust are the titans. Well its about time, figured he would show up eventually. "I know you're out there Robin, and I'm not going to let you in."

"Raven, I really need to talk to you. Please don't make me beg, it's degrading. Look, I need some answers and…well, I'm worried about you. Please let me in."

"Fine Robin, but only for a few minutes, but if I feel the need to meditate you will leave." I'm sure Robin understood this was not open to negotiation.

"Okay Raven." I opened the door with my powers and Robin walked in.

"Wow, in your room a second time. That has to be some kind of record." I glared at Robin making sure he knew I was not in the mood. "Um okay. What happened back there in the infirmary Raven. The look you were giving that guy was intense and it looked like he was ready attack you. Have you two met before or am I just missing something."

"No Robin I have not met him before. And to tell you the truth, I'm not sure exactly what happened back there. A part of me, the demon part, just felt threatened by him. But my human part, the good side of me felt no fear. I don't know how to explain it so I'm not going to." Robin slowly nodded his head as he listened. I couldn't help but notice that Robin had grown about an inch taller. Funny I didn't notice that before. Soon he'll be towering over me and when he hugs me I'll only be up to his… Stop. Now. I can't afford to be weak again, not right now.

"Do you think he's a threat Raven. Cyborg seems to think we should keep an eye on him but he thinks that because he seems to hate Slade he's on our side for the moment."

"Why do you want my opinion. You're the leader, aren't you." My response came out slightly colder than I had desired but I was just trying to be realistic. After all, Robin always made the decisions.

"I am, but because he seems to be tied into everything that's going on with you, I'd imagine he would be the biggest threat too you. I just want you to feel safe Raven; safe in your home." I could feel the concern from Robin muddled together with plenty of other emotions. This link I had established to save him was becoming quite the nuisance but it did feel good to feel his warmth.

"I do not believe he is a threat. The aura I pick up from is strange, something I have never felt before but I do not sense direct hostility from him. In fact, all I really feel from him is despair and deep sadness." Yeah sounds like me.

"I can understand that. Let me tell you what he told us. Its quite the story." Robin proceded to give me the abridged version of our guest who I now knew as SoulBurn. Another poor soul with power used by Slade and my father. I couldn't help but pity him. A part of me was evil, the darkest of evil but I had never killed anyone. I couldn't imagine what it was like to take so many lives against your will, having to watch innocents die in front of you. My mind flashed back to that dream I had after the attack by SoulBurn, the horror I had witnessed, the titans death, Robin's death. I could feel Robin staring at me. I had zoned out, and he was probably worried something was wrong.

"Have you ever heard of any powers like he has before Raven? Anything at all." I thought for a moment, thinking back to my training on Azarath and also all the books I had read while be fooled by Malchior. I hope he rots in that book for all eternity. Calm Raven.

"No Robin. I haven't. I have never heard of anyone possessing such an ability."

"Well that leaves us with too little information then. Hopefully when he wakes back up he'll tell us more. I don't mean to push you into talking about something you don't want to talk about but is there anything you might knew about whats coming next. Anything you can tell me about your fath…Trigon." I let out a deep sigh. Time to tell a story very few knew about.

"What I'm going to tell you is a tale that I learned on Azarath. The story of the fall of Lucifer, who you know as Satan, whom I call father. What you hear about in Christianity or in the Bible, heck everything you've seen in movies and books holds some truth but very little. Lucifer was once an angel, an arch-angel, second to only the arch-angel Michael in the realm of heaven. I know very little about heaven exactly but yes in a sense it does exist as does hell, but it did not exist yet.

Lucifer had a great gift, he was a great seer, a prophet if you will. He could see far into the future of worlds that did not exist yet, creatures that had not drawn breath. It was a great power indeed. Many lesser angels would come to listen to his visions. They were like bedtime stories for kids filled with wonder and awe. It made Lucifer very popular. It made him prideful. One day a vision came to him, a vision grandeur than all he had ever had. In this vision he was God of all existence. The universe loved him and praised him. All was perfect. This was a time before Earth had humans, millions of years ago."

"However, life did exist on other worlds. It was crude and barbaric. Violent and painful. Lucifer believed he could change all that. He believed he could bring the paradise of heaven to all the universe. He discovered a way to control his visions to see what he needed in order to accomplish his goal, but these visions were not true. His eternal soul had become corrupted by his pride."

"Instead they showed him a great plan to gain power over all, at all cost. No one except Lucifer knows what his plan was, no one knows exactly what the future was supposed to be for him. It did not matter in the end. His wickedness was discovered before he could get far enough. By who no one knows, but he and those that chose to follow him were captured. They were judged to no longer be worthy of Heaven. Lucifer was stripped of all his power and was cast into a new dimension to suffer for all eternity. This would be his punishment. This would become Hell."

I stopped speaking for a second. Robin looked a little pale. The amount of information he was hearing had to be overwhelming. I know it was for me when I learned of it.

"Please Raven. Continue." He was taking all this extremely well. But that is what I'd expect from the man I had fallen for. Stop Raven. Just keep talking and block out irrelevant thoughts.

"Something unexpected happened though. Lucifer was not completely defeated. Over time he began drawing new power from his prison, power that allowed him to begin subtly interacting with the world of mortals. Though the energies that kept him locked away were strong, his followers who had become terrible demons like him, were finding ways into the real world. That world was Azarath.

"Lucifer's dream of bringing paradise to all the universe had become corrupted by the darkness of his soul and by Hell. He no longer wished this but rather the opposite. He now wished to bring all existence to an end. Destroy everything around him and bring hell to not only the mortal realm, but also Heaven itself. Over thousands of years, these demons used the people of Azarath to try and find a way to bring their Lord, who was referred to as Trigon then, into the mortal realm. Time and time again they failed and eventually the people of Azarath turned against the demons, all save a few."

"It was those few that found a way to bring Trigon into the mortal realm, if only temporary. Long enough to rape my mother, whose only crime was to stand by her father when he was cast out for continuing to believe in the demons. I came into existence. Half human, half demon, a being who carried the seed of pure evil within. I was meant to be the Gateway for Trigon. I believe that brings us to present times."

"That's…That's crazy. Not every day you find out that there really is a Heaven. Is there a God? No wait, I don't want to know that. Some things better left a mystery. So in other words, your Father is a deranged ex-angel who wants to destroy everything. Sound about right."

"How eloquently put Robin, but yes, that is the truth. My father is a being of unimaginable power and darkness." I wanted to smile at Robin's ridiculous assessment of the situation but I just couldn't muster the energy. Telling the story reminded me of everything that I was, everything that was coming. I was needing all my mental ability to remain in control.

"So no one knows exactly how Trigon is going to use you to open the gate then. We basically just have to sit back and wait for something to happen. Damn it. This is not good." Listening to Robin talking to himself more than anything, a thought suddenly popped in my head. How could I forget.

"There is one thing Robin. I had a dream after being attacked by SoulBurn. I won't go into the details of the dream but in it my Father told me something. Something about the gate. The prophecy shall be fulfilled. Both the innocent and the tainted shall be sacrificed to open the gate. The Last of the Fallen is the key to unlocking my prison. I recited the words from my memory, trying desperately not to think about the rest of the dream. I looked at Robin who had an intense look of thinking on his face.

"Well if I'm correct, the innocent sacrificed must be related to all those souls SoulBurn was forced to steal. The rest of it makes no sense to me. Damn it. Why do prophecies always have to be cryptic. Heaven forbid that it would just come right and say what the hell's going on.

"Actually Robin, I belive Hell forbid this prophecy from being straightforward." Robin suddenly stopped and tilted his head looking as if he had raised an eyebrow.

"If I didn't know any better, you just tried to make a bad joke at the most inappropriate time ever. Please o Please do not turn into Beast Boy." A huge grin spread across his face. I could feel a slight blush enter my face as I admired his smile. I could even feel my mouth curving up slightly.

"The day I am anything like Beast Boy is the day the universe truly ends." Good back to as monotone and emotionless as possible.

"Yeah, you definitely don't need to be like anyone else. Your completely perfect the way you are."

"Says the mask wearing child to the Spawn of Satan with severe emotional problems." It came out immediately. I should have smiled and said thanks. I guess sarcasm is my ultimate defense mechanism. Robin's smile quickly fell.

"You shouldn't be so hard on yourself Raven. None of this is your fault. You are an innocent in all this as much as anyone else." Robin had taken a few steps forward as he continued to speak. "I promise, I will find a way to help you and prevent all this from happening. Then you can be free of your destiny." He had gotten to standing just in front of me. I looked down, not wanting to meet his eyes. All that kept going through my head was don't, don't do it Robin, there's too much at stake right. Doing this is going to put a giant bull's eye on your back. I felt a hand under my chin as Robin lifted my head up so he could look in my eyes.

"I told you before Raven. The titans are here for you. I am here for you. Raven don't you see, I l…" I could feel the emotions loud and clear from Robin.

"Stop! I yelled as black energy threw Robin back from me. Do not say those words Robin! Never say those words to me, ever. Now go, leave me room NOW! I need to meditate and you promised you'd leave if I had to meditate." The last words came out quietly. I tried to calm down all the emotions raging with in me. Robin needed to get out of there now.

"Alright Raven. A promise is a promise. I'll leave. But one day, we will finish this conversation." With a solemn look Robin opened my door and disappeared. I was sure at that very moment, in my mind, Happy had started crying and Anger had started laughing, never to silence.

Robin P.O.V

I tried and she denied me…sort of. I was walking slowly toward the roof to get some fresh air, clear my head. I mulled over all the information that I had obtained from Raven, what was told directly and what was told indirectly. This fight was defiantly going to be the worst the Titans had ever face, by far. If Slade was only a minion in all this, this was going to be bad, very bad.

Despite all that, there was one thought that kept passing through my head. When I had touched Raven in her room, I had felt something through our link. It was only for a second but I did feel it. It was joy and at this moment, that was all I needed. For what felt like the millionth time today my musing was disrupted by my communicator and of course it was Cyborg.

"Robin. I need you on the roof pronto. We might have a situation." Having been going there already I was up on the roof in a matter of seconds. The sight in front of me worried me. Starfire, Beast Boy, and Cyborg all stood battle ready. Standing on the edge of the building, staring off toward the horizon was SoulBurn. Noticing my arrival, Cyborg turned to me.

"Glad you're hear. I didn't bother calling Raven. She has enough on her plate already. Our friend over there decided it would be funny to teleport himself up here without telling anyone. I managed to pick him up on the security system and rushed up here. It seems he would like to talk to you about something."

"Did he say what it was about?"

"No, said he would only address his "concerns" to you." Great this day keeps getting better and better. The second this is over, I am so going to sleep for a week, of course I could be a soulless shell in about 2 minutes but hey, who lives forever.

"Alright, everyone take a few steps back. I'm going in." I slowly approached the still figure of SoulBurn. I noticed for the first time that he was tall, well taller than me at least, maybe about 5'10. Also he seemed to have a reasonable build, broad shoulders but still seemed rather slender. "So you wanted to talk to me then, well here I am." He began speaking but never once did he turn around.

"Once again I must apologize for earlier. I do not know why I reacted that way toward your beloved. I believe it was because of the darkness I felt in her that reminded me so much of Slade. It won't happen again. I wanted to speak to you because I wish to know your intentions. Are you planning on fighting against Slade, fighting against the approaching darkness?" Yes was my only response.

"Are you willing to give everything you are and ever will be to stop what is to come?" Yes was my only response again. "If that is the case, then I wish to join you in battle. I have…I have much to atone for. There is much innocent blood on my hands, though it was not my choice, something inside me compels me to make amends for everything I've done. I do not know myself at all, but I know there is much guilt in my heart for not being strong enough to resist what I was made to do. If you will allow it, I am at your disposal."

With that he finally turned around. I processed the words he had spoken to me as I looked into his eyes. Within them I could see so much pain, a haunted look that would not leave, probably ever. In moments like this I usually went with my instincts, and my instincts told me we would need all the help we could get for this fight.

"I will allow you to join us SoulBurn. I will allow you your chance to ease your pain. You can stay with us here at the tower. I am still going to keep an eye on you though and I don't want you leaving this tower under any circumstances. Also, I want to know fully what you are capable of but that will wait until tomorrow. His eyes never left me the entire time I spoke.

"Agreed." I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. There was also one more thing that was still bugging me.

"When you first addressed me up here, you apologized for reacting toward my "beloved". What did you mean by that?" A small smile adorned his face as he began to speak.

"When she came to see you while you were talking to me in the infirmary, I knew what she was to you. The moment you laid eyes on her I could see your soul brighten a million times. It is rather obvious."

"If its not too much trouble, could you keep that information to yourself. It's not something I'm entirely comfortable with people knowing."

"Agreed. Now if it is not too much trouble, I would like to go back to sleep in the infirmary." I nodded my head in approval and in a flash of pale blue, he was gone. I turned around to walk back inside only to be greeted by three very large smiles.

"Next person who say anything to me about my feelings has combat training with me at 6 tomorrow morning. There smiles were instantly gone. "God, does everybody know. Next thing you know I'm going to be getting a call from Mad Mod wondering when the wedding is going to be." The laughter of my friends was music to my ears. No matter what, there was always something to fight for in this world.


	8. A Morning in the Life of Robin

1A/N: Other long update that came out pretty quickly. Just some Robin thoughts and some other stuff. Next chapter deals with Raven mostly and an old "friend" of hers. Lots sure happened in the last about two days for the Titans. Maybe I should give them time off. I probably won't but I should. I'm just cruel like that.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to the Teen Titans so don't even try suing me for the minuscule property I have.

Ch. 8: A Morning in the Life of Robin

Robin P.O.V.

You would think that after everything that had happened, all the mind-numbing information that I had learned, being more or less rejected by Raven, having a strange guy with crazy powers living in our infirmary, and the fact that we were staring Armageddon straight in the face, I could get a few damn hours of good sleep. But No! Of course that wouldn't happen. I mean its not like I've devoted my life to saving people or anything and deserve something good to happen to me in return. Is it too much to ask for, 8 simple hours of sleep. Just long enough to clear my head, forget everything for a just a little while, and get back my energy. I let out a deep sigh as I looked at the clock, 4:00 A.M. I had tried to sleep, but every time I managed to nightmares would come.

Thankfully, these were never as horrible as those I felt from Raven because of our link, though I believe both of us dreamt of our personal demons. Hers being far more literal of course. These nightmares had plagued me for a long time now. They were manifested from my self doubt, my regrets, and my obsessive nature. Every time it was like watching a movie of my life. My mistakes as Red X, my apprenticeship, my near death at the hands of Terra, and finally watching Raven fall on her birthday.

However, each time it was never the same. The nightmares always showed me what could happened, had the worst occurred. As of late the nightmares always ended on the same thing, Raven falling to her death with me helpless to save her. Every time I would have to stare at her broken body only to wake up seconds later in a cold sweat. I guess I should look at the bright side, well if there really was one. The dreams of my parents falling hadn't plagued me for awhile. Knowing that continuing to lay in bed was useless, I stood to my feet. I really needed a shower, a nice long cold shower to get me going, and then maybe, just maybe something will go right.

2 hour later….Now who would have thought the one place I would fall asleep comfortable would be standing up in a cold shower. I felt amazingly better, despite the fact that I resembled more prune that man. Alright, 6:00 in the morning. Just because the world could end tomorrow doesn't mean I can neglect my training. Might as well face the Apocalypse being as buff as possible.

I quietly laughed to myself. For some odd reason, I had been acting a lot less serious lately. I assumed that faced with these particular problems I would have become worse than I had been with Slade. I mean this was huge…and threatened Raven deeply. It was definitely strange, and most definitely un-Robin like. I guess when your in love, things always seem to be a little better, even when the object of your affection throws you out of her room yelling at you.

I threw on some training clothes and placed my mask on my face. Despite popular belief, it did come off when I slept and showered. Alright, coffee, training, breakfast. Sounds like fun. And with that, I left my room to head to the gym.

Two hours later and another long shower, this one a hot one, and I was in my uniform reading the newspaper in the kitchen. I was the only up apparently as I had seen no sign of my teammates. Usually at least Raven was here sipping on tea with a book. She was an early riser just like me. We both would sit in a comfortable silence with our beverages of choice reading. It was one of my favorite times. It would always end with us giving each other a look as the sounds of Beast Boy and Cyborg arguing about what to eat for breakfast could be heard down the hall. But today she was not here.

Today I was alone. I was more than a little surprised when Starfire came floating in to the room with a big smile on her face. She had come in so quietly that I almost didn't notice.

"Good morning Star. Sleep well?"

"Yes I did friend Robin. Did you?" I looked over at Starfire who still had the biggest smile on her face. One couldn't help but feel good when looking at our resident alien princess.

"I was fine Star. Thanks for asking." Starfire absolutely beamed at my response. I guess a small lie never hurt anyone and it kept her happy.

"Good then. Would you like me to make you some Terran cuisine for breakfast? Perhaps the unborn chicks of the hen?" I couldn't help but smile at her. Hey it wasn't my fault she was absolutely adorable when she talked.

"You can call them eggs Star. It sounds more appetizing. And yeah, I'd love some." It was nothing huge but this simple conversation with Star made me happy. She was a very dear friend of mine and with my whole feelings for Raven finally discussed, I was glad it hadn't become awkward between us.

I continued to read my paper as I heard Star begin to start cooking. It was probably going to be a mess and the eggs were probably going to put in the bathroom for awhile, but that was only a small sacrifice for seeing that wonderful smile never leave her face. For the second time today, I was completely shocked to see Beast Boy walk into the kitchen. He looked surprisingly awake considering he never got up before 10ish. I think he noticed my eyes on him and a sheepish smile crossed his face.

"What. It can't be that big of a deal that I'm awake. I'm up early sometimes."

"Going to sleep at 6 in the morning after a kung-fu movie marathon is not the same as being up early," was my retort.

"Well…at least I don't prance around looking like a streetlight." My gazed immediately hardened on the young changling.

"I do not nor have I ever pranced." I could see him shifting nervously beneath my gaze. I watched as a strange look cross his face as a smile formed on my face. "But the whole streetlight thing…yeah I can see that." The strange look continued on Beast Boy's face as he still seemed to be nervous.

"Uhm Robin, that was a joke right?"

"Yes Beast Boy."

"Its okay if I laugh right."

"Yes Beast Boy." My response was followed by the laugh of Beast Boy as he walked past me into the kitchen no doubt to make some strange tofu concoction. I turned around to find Starfire hovering about two inches from me with the same smile on her face. She had managed to place a plate of eggs in front of me without me noticing and I think she was waiting for me to eat.

"Looks good Star but I think I need a …" A fork was immediately in front of me. "Thanks but you know I also need so…" A bottle of ketchup was immediately in front of me. "Alright then I guess time to eat." I slowly picked up the fork, slowly put some ketchup on my plate, and slowly picked up a piece of the scrambled eggs that were in front of me. They looked normal but looks can be deceiving. Especially with Starfire's cooking. I put the piece of egg in my mouth and started chewing slowly. The whole time I could feel Starfire's eyes on me. I chewed once, twice, thrice, and swallowed. I turned to Starfire, meeting her eyes.

"Star…this is really good," and for the first time ever, I think I was being honest with Starfire about her food.

"Wonderous Friend Robin. I am glad you are enjoying my cooking. Maybe you would also like some Scorl'falbergest." She looked at me with hopeful eyes but even I wasn't crazy.

"No thank you Star. I'm defiantly going to be filling up on these eggs. They are great." If her face could have split in have from her smile it would have.

"I shall go make more for your consumption," and with that she was back into the kitchen. I could hear Beast Boy yelling something as the two whirlwinds of cooking destruction fought for space in the kitchen.

I let out a small sigh as I continued to eat my eggs. If only Raven was as easy as Starfire to make smile, not wait scratch that. I wish Raven was just a little easier to make smile but defiantly not as easy as Star. It was so difficult to get a smile on Raven's face, every time she did it, it was like seeing a beautiful sunset. The only thought you had when seeing it was that I have to see that again and I'll do anything to make it happen. Raven was mysterious, stubborn, and difficult at times but there was so much more to her if you only took the time to look. I was pulled out of my pleasant thoughts by the sound of Cyborg's voice.

"Since this is your first day here, I going to make you my traditional, Super-Mega Meat Platter for breakfast. It will change your life." I turned around to see Cyborg walk in with SoulBurn slowly following behind him. Cyborg was smiling but SoulBurn had absolutely no expression on his face. Rather he seemed to be consumed in thought.

"There is no way you are bringing him to your evil meat side Cy. He knows he wants to try some of my tofu. Now that is an experience that will change your life." And so it begins.

"Listen up grass stain, don't make me put you in the microwave. This hear is a man's man and there is no way that he is going to be eating your sissy tofu garbage." The arguing continued back and forth until two plates were unceremoniously shoved in front of SoulBurn's face. Once piled high with meat, the other with tofu. SoulBurn, who had been standing there the entire time watching the argument, still had no expression on his face.

"I believe…" Both Cyborg and Beast Boy hung on his words, "that I will go stand over there now," and with that he walked toward the window, and stared out toward the bay. I slightly chuckled to myself. A monotone voice suddenly was heard.

"Well that's one way to deal with that ridiculous argument." Raven glided into the kitchen. As was usual lately, she was completely hidden in her cloak.

"Friend Raven. It is good to see you. I have taken the time to make you your tea." Starfire had flown over to Raven clutching a mug in her hand.

"Um…Thanks." You could tell Raven was a little shocked as she took the mug in her hand. She took a tentative sip and once again thanked Star. "If you will all excuse me now. I'm returning to my room. There is something I must do. Do not disturb me." The last part was laced with venom and I somehow knew that was directed toward me. It hurt me a little. I watched her cloak disappear around the corner. She was gone.

The rest of the morning went along as usual. Cooking, eating, arguing, you know, the usual. The only words SoulBurn had spoken were to ask for a glass of water and a thank you. He slightly unnerved me as he stared out the window. It was as if he was looking at something only he could see, and whose to say that wasn't the case. There was so little known about him and that was why it was time to check out the extent of his powers. I slowly walked over toward him, careful not to startle him.

"SoulBurn. I said yesterday I want to test out your powers and if its not too much trouble right now I would like to do that." He turned around and nodded slowly in agreement. "Alright. Meet me out there in about 15 minutes. Cyborg will walk you over." Once again he nodded his head in agreement. I turned around and walked away. Time to run some tests, see how helpful he would be in the coming battle. I wanted to say I was focused on this but I knew most my thoughts were still on the little dark bird locked in her room.

It was a beautiful day in Jump City. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and there was a gentle breeze coming off the water. Of course, here I was setting up a training session. At least I was outside I guess. Over the course of our battles, we had collected quite a few robots from Slade and Brother Blood. We had rebuilt them and used them in our training. I'm fairly certain Cyborg kept some of his "look-alikes" in order to work out his aggression time to time. I know it was the same reason I had kept the Slade-bots.

I turned to look over my shoulder and spotted team plus SoulBurn and minus Raven coming over. Apparently everyone was curious to see this. I could see that Cyborg and Beast Boy were still arguing about something.

"And that BB, is why Predator would so kick Alien's ass. I mean look at the technology he's got. They almost make me look primitive. "

"You have no idea what you're talking about metal man. Technology has got nothing on the killer primal instinct of the Aliens. If I could turn into that, man you would never pick on me again." Feeling a migraine coming on, I immediately silenced the two by speaking up.

"Alright. You two settle down. Some work needs to get done here. I turned to SoulBurn. You are going to show us what you are capable of. The safety of my team as well as myself is very important to me, and I want to make sure you are capable of defending yourself in battle so that none of us have to be distracted trying to save you. I'm going to put you up against some robots we could end up facing. I'll start you off slow, but the numbers will increase as time goes on. If you feel like you are in trouble, yell for us to stop and they will stop. This is dangerous so I want to make sure you are ready for this."

Once again he nodded his head in agreement. No words were spoken.

"Alright then. Everyone back up and lets get this started. I walked up to a control station that emerged from the gound. It was nice to have a billion down bankroll to make this stuff. I began pushing a few buttons as I watched SoulBurn pop a few of his joints in preparation.

"Alright. Here comes the first one. Begin."

A Cyborg clone immediately emerged from the ground. It spotted its target and started to transform its arm into its sonic cannon. It was about half way through its transformation before a beam of blue energy passed through its head. It collapsed to the ground as a useless hunk of metal. SoulBurn stood with his arm extended out, his eyes had turned that pale blue I had seen only once before. Looks like he kind of fights like Starfire. Well except for the flight and the miniskirt. I silently chuckled to myself as I pushed a few more buttons.

Next up came a Slade-bot. Lets see how he does against a more agile opponent. The robot immediately sprinted toward SoulBurn. He had yet to move following his last blast though I did notice his off hand was clenched tightly in a fist. The robot attempted to throw a bunch only to meet thin air. SoulBurn had teleported to right behind the robot and with another blast of energy, another robot was destroyed. Wow, that was fast. Another few buttons and three Cyborg clones had emerged. Time to test multiple targets. These robots already were firing as they came up. The blasts were headed right for him but before connecting they were stopped by some type of energy shield. The blue of his eyes had intensified greatly as he ran toward his attackers. His attacks were nowhere near as fast as mine, nor as graceful, but they did have the desired effect.

He punched one robot through the chest. I noticed his fist had been outlined slightly with energy as he did it. He must enhance his attacks with his powers. A blast almost hit him from behind but he had teleported right before it had hit him. The blast slammed into a second robot that just happened to be in the way. He appeared behind the third robot and kicked down destroying the robots leg. It collapsed in a heap trying to turn over to fight, but was quickly stopped by the fact its head had just been crushed by a foot. SoulBurn let out a deep breathe. I noticed he was clenching both his fists now and had a slight grimace on his face as if he was in pain. Of course nothing had even come close to touching him.

It was time for the final test. I didn't expect him to win this won but I wanted to see him fight against a truly powerful opponent. From the ground emerged Slade, or in reality a robot built to mimic the man. It was my favorite training device. I guess I really do have an obsession. Of course in retrospect, had I really been thinking clearly about the whole thing and not been preoccupied with thoughts of Raven, I might of realized pitting a person who probably hated Slade a million times more than me against a robot that looked like Slade was a bad idea.

"SLADE!" The scream was full of rage and anger. SoulBurn charged forward throwing a wild punch. The robot ducked easily throwing a hard bunch to SoulBurn's face. A shield like before came up but the force had knocked him back a few feet. The robot wasted no time and slammed a quick kick into this ribs making contact. SoulBurn flew back and landed on the ground. The robot slowly approached expecting an attack.

However, that was not the case. SoulBurn stood up, eyes burning bright that they almost appeared white. A faint outline of energy had built up around him as he clenched his fists. And then he started laughing. It was a quiet chuckle as if almost mocking. The robot took this moment to attack. It threw another bunch only for it to be dodged. In an instant, a blade of blue energy had extended from SoulBurn's right arm and had cleanly sliced the robot in half at the waste. Energy began building up the palm of SoulBurn's left hand.

"And now Slade. Time to go to Hell." The energy in his hand tripled in size and I did the only thing I could think of.

"Everyone get down right now." I ducked behind the control panel as the energy was unleased at the upper half of the robot body. The ground around me shook at the impact and I could feel a shockwave push against my cover. Slowly, I stood to my feet and surveyed the scene. SoulBurn stood in the center of a crater about 10 feet in diameter. It almost looked like smoke was coming off his body. Suddenly I watched him fall to his knees coughing. I immediately ran up to him to check on him and apologize for my lapse in judgement. It was then that I noticed that he was injured. There was a dark burn up his left arm and a gash bleeding profusely on his right. I also noticed that he was coughing up blood ever so slightly.

"Are you okay man." Cyborg had walked up and knelt beside SoulBurn. "I didn't think you got touched when you were fighting out there. SoulBurn simply stared at the ground as he spoke.

"This is the price I pay for using my powers. It puts a terrible strain on my body." He held up his left arm. It was sickening looking burn that covered his entire forearm. "Everytime I use my power, my body is punished. It is too much energy for my body to handle safely. It is too much power for any human to ever have." He let out a deep sigh.

"I do not believe I should have ever existed." He tried to stand but stumbled. Cyborg caught him.

"Easy there. Lets get you to the infirmary and patch you up. I don't think you'll be fighting for awhile." SoulBurn stopped at met my gaze. His eyes should have been filled with pain but rather were filled with conviction.

"Robin. I am sorry for losing control again. I know that the effect of my powers on me makes me somewhat of a liability in battle. However, if it ever comes down to your own safety, the safety of your team, or my own, leave me. Leave me to die and protect those who deserve saving." He broke his gaze and leaned on Cyborg as he helped him back to the tower. I let out another deep sigh. Only 11 in the morning and there's already a new crater in our island, not to mention someone's injured. This is going to be a long day.


	9. Forced Back into Shadow

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A/N: I don't know why but I had to write this. Not enough Raven lately and I couldn't keep leaving her out, though this is a very short chapter. Kind of goes with ch. 8. Poor, poor Raven. I know this is cruel to her but we all know what type of monster she's dealing with. I apologize for any language used. I think it fits the scope of the chapter. Let me know if you like it or hate it. Another chapter written very late in the evening.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans so lets not try and sue me since I don't have anything to sue for.

Ch. 9: Forced Back into Shadow

Raven P.O.V

Following my quick appearance to the kitchen, I immediately went back to my room. I was definitely surprised she had made me tea. I didn't think she even knew how to make my tea. I guess Starfire was just full of surprises. I don't know what I felt from her when I saw her. I wish empathy was a little more clear. Of course the alternative was forming a link with her and I think feeling all her happy thoughts all day long would drive me insane. I shuddered slightly at the thought.

When she handed me the mug my hand touched hers slightly. It almost felt like she envied me. Who in their right mind would envy me? Maybe it had to do with Robin. If that was the case I would have expected emotions like anger or hate, if it were all possible for Starfire to hate someone. It had to be envy. The beautiful, loving, carefree alien princess envied the spawn of Satan and possible Bringer of the end of the world. If made as much sense as Beast Boy winning the Nobel Prize in Physics. I could feel my lips curve slightly at my comment. Poor Beast Boy. Always such an easy target.

I took another sip of my mug as I finally arrived back at my room. The door opened and I returned to the darkness of my room. I hadn't been lying when I had told everyone I had something to do, and I definitely wasn't kidding when I said not to disturb me. I tried to sound as serious as possible because I didn't want anyone interfering. There was a chance I'd be vulnerable again with what I had to do, and I didn't want anyone seeing it, especially not Robin. The slightest mistake around him could bring untold consequences and I wasn't going to risk it. I tried to convince myself that feelings were trivial and that none of it was worth my time. Maybe if I said it enough times it would actually be true.

I placed down my tea and assumed a lotus position on my bed to meditate. I sat there for probably an hour clearing my head. I had to be ready for this. I believed I could get some answers to aid us, but I had to do one of the things I wish I never had to do again. I had to talk to an ancient being who had nearly destroyed me, inside and out. I had to talk to Malchior.

When I think back to that whole ordeal, I can't help but feel so many emotions. That had probably been the weakest time in my life since I had been a child and someone was there to take advantage of it. He had preyed on my insecurities and my loneliness. As much as I know he didn't mean it, Beast Boy's comment had hurt. I knew I was different, I just didn't want to be reminded of that fact. I just wanted to belong somewhere and not be alone anymore.

If I had just looked closer, I would have realized I already had all those things with my family, with the Titans. I was too blind to see what was in front of me, and it almost cost me everything.

I always remember that Robin never once yelled at me for that entire incident. He didn't get angry that I had endangered the team by keeping things from them. He never once raised his voice. He only had told me only two things regarding it. He had told me to please be more careful with myself and the other…well he had told me I had looked good in white. When I had blushed at the comment he also said I looked good with a little red. He was lucky that he had left the room at that moment.

I've always respected Robin, admired him for what he chose to do. He was normal and could just walk away at anytime but he fought harder than any of us to help those in need. I tried to believe that those facts are all that I feel toward Robin. Admiration and respect. However, it was that simple teasing, the way it made me feel ,as if I had never done anything wrong It was then that I started questioning my feelings toward our leader. When I found Malchior, maybe I was looking for more than acceptance. Maybe I was looking for someone to love me. There was that word again. It kept popping into my head even when I didn't want it too. It was all so confusing, far too dangerous a word to be used right now. It was time to find some answers.

I approached the magically sealed chest in front of me. Using my powers I opened it and levitated a book in front of me. I said a few words and set it on the ground. The book opened on its own accord, opening to a page that held the false eyes of the mage Rorek. A dark voice began speaking to me in a mocking tone.

"Ah sweet Raven. To what do am I owed the pleasure of being allowed to gaze on your breath taking features." Calm down Raven. Don't let this monster get to you. You're stronger than that.

"I've come looking for answers and I hoped you might know something that you are willing to share with me." I spoke as bluntly as possible.

"What no greetings for an old friend. I thought you had manners my little bird." A deep chuckle erupted from the book. "I'm assuming this has to do with what you were talking about yesterday with your leader does it not."

"How did you know what we were talking about?" I asked suspiciously.

"Oh you know. A little bird told me." I could feel him mocking me. "What not up for jokes. I used a bit of black magic to listen in on the conversation. I just felt that it was very important.

"How much did you hear."

"Everything Raven. Everything." Once again I could hear him chuckle darkly from within the book. "And let me just say, its quite a little drama you've got going. Of all the deep dark secrets you told me in your vulnerable state, never once did you say who your father was. Trigon himself, why I haven't talked to him in eons. Is he still a blood-thirsty monster? Oh what does it matter. I'm sure I'll meet him again soon enough. Then maybe I can finally get some freedom when this whole universe goes to hell."

"You will never be free Malchior. I will ensure that," My voice was icy. Another dark chuckle.

"I don't think you will be capable of stopping anyone once the prophecy is fulfilled now will you."

"What do you now of the prophecy you bastard." I could feel the anger filtering into my voice. I knew he knew something.

"Now why should I tell you anything Raven. I mean you did lock me in this book for all eternity. I don't envision us making a deal because what can you offer me…that you haven't already given me." That last comment was said with total malicious intent. A small lamp exploded in my room as the anger within me spiked.

"Does he know Raven?"

"Who."

"Robin of course. Does he know how you told me everything about yourself. Does he know how I held you in my arms as you cried and wiped away your tears as they fell. Does he know how you told me that you love me. Does he know that it was me you gave your first kiss too."

"Shut up!" My voice erupted from my shaking figure. Objects began swirling around my room as my anger and regret got the best of me. I tried to calm down but it was a slow process. His words stung deeply. I knew this was going to happen, but I thought I could handle it. I was wrong. I'm sorry Robin. Eventually I managed to gain control. My room was a mess but there was no terrible damage. I could still hear Malchior laughing at me.

"Now if your done with your little temper tantrum. I believe you wanted some information. I figure there's no harm in telling you since it can't be stopped." How could he be so smug when trapped in a book. I'd kill him I could.

"What do you know about the prophecy."

"Oh a little of this and a little of that. Fire, destruction, half-demon bitch being the gate. All that good stuff." I gritted my teeth at his words. Please just hurry up and tell me so I can go I thought. "But of course that's all common knowledge. Especially the bitch part." I let out a defeated sigh. There was nothing I could do. I needed his information to help prepare, to try and save myself, and my family.

"Is there anything useful you can tell me?"

"Oh I'm not just going to tell you anything. There's no fun in that. I'm going to give you a small clue and let you figure it out. I mean you are so smart. Its not like an evil dragon in a book could ever fool you. HaHaHA oh wait your not finding any of this humorous are you. That's too bad. They say laughter is the music of the soul, but its not like a monster like you has a soul. Oh I haven't had this much fun since I ripped out your fragile little heart. Sometimes I wish I could do it again, but only literally this time."

Every comment, every word felt like a dagger in my heart. I wanted to scream, wanted to cry, wanted to kill all at the same time but none of that was allowed. All those feelings would only bring more useless destruction. I was taking all this for my friends, my family, to help try and protect those who truly existed within my heart.

"All you need to know my sweet little bird is that the day the prophecy comes true is soon. There is a very obvious sign to what day it will be. Just look for something that hasn't occurred in a very, very long time and you shall know the day. That's all you get unless you want to let me out." I glared violently at the eyes in the book.

"I thought as much. Oh two more things. For one, if I'm correct and I am usually, tell SoulBurn, haha, what a funny name, to tell his father I said hello. And two, you did good rejecting Robin yesterday Raven. I mean you and me both know that no one could ever love something like you."

I immediately slammed the book shut with my powers and returned it the chest. I had enough abuse for one day. But whose to say he wasn't being truthful in everything he said. I am a monster, a thing, a soulless demon who is only meant to bring misery. All the words Malchior had told me all hit me at once. I tried not to believe in them, I tried to find comfort in thoughts of my friends and Robin, but I couldn't do it. I fell to the floor and curled up in a ball. A few tears escaped my eyes as I wished I would just disappear.


	10. A Dark Reminder

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A/N: Another update. Still the same day. More problems for Raven. I mean why not have her entire life crumbling about now. She opened Pandora's box of emotions and now everyone's taking advantage of it. Kind of in a mental lull right now. Trying to make sure I know exactly where I'm going with everything. Trying to make sure everything makes sense all the way to the end. Let me know if I screwed up anything.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to the Teen Titans so don't even try suing me for the minuscule property I have.

Ch. 10: A Dark Reminder

In a dark cavern deep inside Slade's lair, a conversation was currently going on between Slade and his Master. As usual, Slade was kneeled before a burning symbol and a booming voice erupted from it.

"Emissary! Does the name Malchior mean anything to you? I believe I felt his power within this realm."

"I do not know him personally Lord Trigon, but from what Blood told me, he is currently trapped in a book in the possession of your daughter. During my "absence" Blood was fighting rather unsuccessfully against the Titan. He observed an encounter involving this Malchior. It is rather amazing what type of surveillance equipment one can get into Titan's Tower without being noticed. Apparently, this Malchior tried to use your daughter to free himself from a cursed book. He was successful but your daughter locked him away again no more than a few minutes after his escape. It seems Malchior manipulated Raven, using her insecurities against her, to trick her into believing that he was really some mage who was in love with her. Apparently she believed she loved him as well. She was rather angry. It was rather ingenious if I do say so myself."

"I do not care what your opinion is emissary."

"I am sorry Master. May I ask what your connection is to this Malchior?"

"Eons ago, there was a dark Mage on the planet of Azarath who desired more power. I reached out to him. In exchange for helping to create portals to allow my minions into his realm, I would grant him increased power to complete his task, as well as kill a few choice enemies. Upon receiving his power, he was transformed into a great Black Dragon and was successful in my requests. However, he foolishly began believing that he had dominion over my followers who came through these temporary portals. It was an act of betrayal that would have brought a terrible punishment had he not been defeated by some mortal mage of divine power. Apparently he was locked in this book that is in my daughters possession. Interesting. I may have a chance for some revenge I had not expected. Leave me Emissary. I believe I am going to pay my daughter a little visit."

Back at Titan's Tower:

The rest of the day past uneventful at Titan's Tower. Everyone tried to keep up with their regular routines. Starfire played with Silkie. Beast Boy and Cyborg played video games. After patching up SoulBurn, the two tried to get him to join in but he politely refused. He seemed quite confused by all the technology around him. He seemed to know what everything was when it was explained, but it was as if he had never seen something as simple as a T.V. himself.

He had asked if he could read something that would help him get acquainted with the titans, something that would tell him of their powers and possible inform him of what villains they might face so he could be prepared. Robin had provided him with a stack of papers that did not contain too much information, and nothing that could be used to endanger the titans.

Robin had spent most of the day researching every possible database he could find that might hold a clue to anything that might help him with the prophecy. He had found absolutely nothing. He wasn't completely surprised by the results as most of what was going on was either older than Humans or came from a different world. In a sense he knew his searches would come up fruitless, but he was just trying to take his mind off Raven. The entire day had passed and no one had seen her since her brief appearance during breakfast. She had made it clear that no one should bother her, and all the titans had followed her request, though all of them constantly thought of her.

Soon enough night had come and all the Titans had retired to bed. SoulBurn had been offered the guest room rather than the infirmary and he had accepted. There was no telling how long he would be here and who knew when the beds in the infirmary would be needed. The only one who did not sleep was Robin.

He was currently in the gym utterly destroying a punching bag that had someone been unlucky enough to be chosen as the enemy of the day. Every punch, every kick contained all his fears and frustrations that had built up over the course of the day, nearly all of them involving Raven. Eventually he had used everything he had and collapsed to his knees trying to catch his breath. He clenched his fists as it felt like his lungs were going to collapse. He only had one thought going through his head. 'I'm not going to ever give up on you Raven.'

Even as hours passed, Raven had not moved from her spot on the floor. Exhaustion had finally taken her, and she had fallen asleep still curled up in a little ball covered by her cloak. Unbeknownst to her, a malevolent presence was using his connection to her to enter her dreams, lowering her defenses to try and take control.

Raven P.O.V:

I had found myself in a beautiful landscape. It was a serene pond surrounded by trees. A breeze gently caressed her face. It was so peaceful. A small smile crept to my face.

"This is where I would have taken us on our first date Rae." I immediately turned around to find Robin standing there with a grim look on his face. He was shaking his head as if I had done something wrong.

"What…what do you mean Robin?"

"I couldn't believe it when I found out Raven. How could you have told Malchior you loved him. How could have you given him your first kiss. I can barely look at you…you whore."

"Robin please, you don't understand, I was confused…I…"

"Save it Raven. I don't want to hear your excuses. Didn't you understand how much I loved you. Do you know how much I would have given just to see you smile once. I would have given you eternal happiness but you preferred a lie to the real thing." A look of disgust had formed on his face. I could feel the tears starting to fall down my cheeks. I reached out a hand to him, but he only slapped it away.

"Please Robin. Please…I'm so very sorry. Please don't leave me. Please don't leave me alone. I'll do anything…" I wrapped my arms around me as I starting shaking from my sobs. I didn't want to look at his face. A malicious smile had crossed his face.

"I want you to destroy Malchior Raven. If you destroy him, then I will know that I am the only one you love."

"He's already locked away for all eternity Robin. Isn't that enough?" My voice was desperate and shaky as I spoke.

"No Raven it isn't. How do I know you aren't secretly talking to him when I'm not there. I can't trust you till he's gone."

"But..but I can't destroy him. I don't have the power." I felt a hand gently caress my cheek. I looked up to see Robin staring into my eyes.

"You have the power Raven. Use your demon side. It is capable of destroying Malchior and then, then I will love you forever."

"But I can't…I won't" I was cut off by Robin placing a gentle kiss on my lips. It was soft yet burning. It made my head feel light.

"Please Raven. Just do it. I'll stand by you and make sure nothing bad happens. I love you. Your human side as well as your demon side. Please, allow me to love you Destroy Malchior.

"Okay Robin. I will, for you." As if out of nowhere the book that contained Malchior was in front of me. It once again opened to the fake eyes of the mage. I felt Robin clutching my hand protectively. I allowed my demon side to take over. Four burning eyes formed on my face. I could feel power coursing through my entire body.

"Demonspawn! What are you doing? Please don't kill me. Please stop." Malchior's voice rang out from the book showing fear for the first time. His voice was drowned out by Robin's in my ear.

"Remember what he did to you Raven. Remember what he tried to take from you Raven. And now he is the only thing that stands between you and me." I let out a scream of rage as black energy combined with Hellfire itself was unleashed from my hands. Malchior let out one last scream as the book, along with his essence, was consumed. I calmed down and noticed Robin was no longer holding my hand. A dark laugh echoed from behind me. All the warmth immediately left my body yet it felt like my mind was on fire.

"Very good my daughter. I knew you had it in you. Did it not feel liberating to express your true power." I did not want to turn around but my body moved on its own accord.

"I must thank you daughter for ridding me of that traitor Malchior. I couldn't have done it better myself." There stood Trigon. He was not the towering presence that he normally was but the red skinned demonlord still stood more than ten feet tall. My eyes widened in horror as I saw his claw pushed right through Robin's chest. Robin's eyes were wide but lifeless. Blood dripped steadily from the wound.

"Do you finally understand the price of your emotions daughter. How easily you've been manipulated once again. And to think all because of something as worthless as love. If you wanted love you could have made an entire universe worship you by standing by my side. Instead you cling to the hope that this mortal could truly love you." Robin's body was thrown to the ground it front of me. "How very foolish daughter. You will all die. You will all die." I took one more looked at the bleeding corpse of Robin and screamed.

I woke up and fell over immediately. How did I get standing. What is going on? I looked around my room and saw that the chest holding the book was empty and there was a black scotch mark on my floor. Oh no! It really happened. I really destroyed the book. I really destroyed Malchior. I allowed myself to lose control while I slept and let my demon side take over. My whole body was shaking from the shock of it all. What if I had hurt someone. What if I had killed one of my friends. I should have been stronger. I should have resisted my feelings. This is all Robin's fault! If he would just leave me alone. If he would get it through his head that we can never be together, that I am not allowed to be loved like that. A knock was suddenly at my door followed by Robin's frantic voice.

"Raven! Raven! Are you in there? Please say something. I heard a scream. Oh god please just say something." I knew if I didn't say something he was going to bust down the door.

"I'm fine Robin. Leave me alone now." My voice was cold and ruthless. I did not want to talk to him nor be anywhere near him right now.

"Are you sure Raven?" I could feel the concern in his voice but I would not allow myself to be taken in by that.

"I am not going to say it again Robin. Leave me the hell alone right now!" Anger had spiked within me and I could hear a light bulb explode outside in the hallway. I could hear a startled yelp from Robin. A few seconds passed before I heard a defeated sigh come from outside me door and the footsteps of Robin walking away. Fighting to control my raging emotions I began meditating. It would carry on through the night and well into the daylight hours. All thoughts of Robin were purged from my mind.


	11. Working Out a Deal

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A/N: Another update written and I'm not sure if I like this one. Something seems like its missing but I can't put my finger on it. Let me know if you can figure it out cause I'm at a loss. Next update wont be until sometime till Tuesday probably which is actually a long time for me but stuff needs to be done. Hey I could end up rewriting this one if I feel the need. Laterz

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to the Teen Titans so don't even try suing me for the minuscule property I have.

Ch. 11: Working out a Deal

Robin P.O.V:

It had been one week since I had ran to Raven's door that night when I heard her scream. One week since she had told me to get away from her. At the time I believed it had simply been another nightmare and she just wanted to be alone, my link to her told me as much, but it was not abundantly clear that I was wrong. It had been one week since I had seen her beautiful face, one week since I had heard her voice. She had completely isolated herself in her room, with only the smallest of communication to the rest of the team.

For the first time I truly cursed my link with her. It had helped me feel closer to her but now it was coming with a price. She was using it to avoid me, using it to know where I was exactly at any given moment and to never be anywhere near that place. I didn't know what to do. I knew I had to find a way to talk to her, to figure out what exactly had happened that night but that was impossible with her avoiding me. I knew if I had wanted I could just punch in the security code to her door and walk in but I wouldn't do that to her. I respected her privacy the same way she respected mine and I wasn't going to push her. If I pushed her too much I could push her away forever. The only news about her was what I got from Cyborg who had talked to her briefly. She was apparently researching something, something to do with the prophecy. That was all he had gotten out of her.

I wish she would let me help her with what she was doing. I know I could help her if only she would let me. Damn. I let out a sigh. Maybe if there was crime to fight then I could take my mind off everything and at least that would force Raven out of her room and in my presence. It had seemed that every criminal had gone on vacation, or maybe they were smart enough to get the hell out of the way of what was coming.

I glanced around the living room noting the presence of each one of my teammates, except for Raven. Cyborg and Beast Boy were playing video games. Beast Boy had been slightly down as of late, and I didn't exactly know why. Sure he still told jokes and fought with Cy but I noticed that when no one was looking, his face seemed dead of emotion.

Starfire was well, Starfire. It was actually amusing that she would be the one to help SoulBurn fit in to his new surroundings. It was like the blind being lead by a rock. I'll admit that she definitely was better than she had been even a few months ago, but still listening to her try and explain particular Earth customs and objects was mind-boggling. Combined with the fact that she would randomly flip between this planet and her own, including the whole language thing was just a mess. Strangely enough, SoulBurn seemed to understand Tamaranian. He didn't seem to know how he knew it and once again he seemed to have heard of some of her customs and things yet never seen them.

I had thought that I could have Raven try and enter his mind and find out why he couldn't remember anything of himself. I had dismissed that idea because I didn't want her in some strange beings mind. It could hurt her and I wouldn't risk it. Of course there was the fact that I hadn't talked to her in a week. I still watched SoulBurn very carefully though as each day passed he seemed less and less of a threat. He spent more time talking with each member of the team and even was heard to make a joke or two, at the expense of Beast Boy of course.

When he was with Starfire I had kept a closer eye on him. A super-powered guy was still a guy and I noticed the disgusting leers that men normally would give her on the street as she walked by. Starfire was beautiful, dressed rather revealing and was sweet and naïve as they come. To say the least all the male titans were slightly overprotective of her when it came to those of the opposite sex.

Over the course of the week I learned that my worries were unwarranted. When I looked into SoulBurn's eyes I did not see lust. I did not see him try to stare at her as she bent over to pick something up. He simply smiled at her antics and listened to her attentively as she talked and talked and talked. When he was around her he seemed to be able to relax more; he almost seemed content. I knew being in Starfire's presence could always make you smile no matter what your mood was but she did get annoying after awhile. But with SoulBurn, he never seemed to get tired of being around her. It seemed like he was content to simply bask in her brightness. After everything he had been through, it was nice to see something good happen for him. My thoughts inevitably came back to Raven. They always came back to Raven. However, this time they were interrupted by an alarm and a flashing red light.

"Titan's Trouble!"

The crime being committed was nothing more than a few random thugs trying to rob an armored car. I should have been happy for the fact that Raven had come out of her room but I was now more worried than ever. The battle was short lived and uneventful. The thugs stood no chance against us. SoulBurn had not come along. I did not want anyone to know he was with us yet. During the battle I noticed Raven did not float like she normally did. I also noticed that she was having trouble doing something as simple as lifting guns from the men's hands. Her black energy seemed to refuse to form when she called upon it.

No matter what, this would be talked about when we returned. Something serious was going on, and I would not let it continue. On the way back to the tower, I followed the T-car closely on my motorcycle. I was not going to give Raven the chance to escape me. As we pulled into the garage, I watched Raven jump out of the T-car and sprint toward the elevator. I was immediately behind her. If she wasn't teleporting herself to her room to get away something was definitely wrong. I watched her enter the elevator and begin hitting a button trying to get the door to close but I was too fast and managed to slide in door right before it closed. I slammed my hand against the emergency stop. She wasn't getting away. I turned to Raven and found her huddled in the corner of the elevator pushed up against the wall as if to try and be as far away from me as possible. She was covered head to toe by her cloak.

"Raven I think it's about time we talked. I want to know why you had trouble with your powers today." My voice was stern. I wanted her to know that I wasn't going to let her go with out an answer.

"There is nothing wrong Robin. You are just being paranoid. Now start the elevator back up" Her voice was cold but weak sounding.

"I know for a fact something is wrong Raven. If there was nothing wrong you would have teleported off here the first chance you had. Now, I want an answer Raven. This is your leader talking to you, not a friend and definitely not anything else. What is going on." I saw her shift nervously as she spoke again.

"I repeat, nothing is wrong. I'm just a little stressed. Now please just leave me alone." I know I didn't want to push her, but something had to be done. For the team's sake, for her sake. I shot my hand out and grabbed her arm. I pulled her toward me. The motion had the desired effect and her hood fell down and her cloak shifting revealing her body. I could not believe my eyes. Raven looked like she was dying. Dark circles had formed around her eyes which seemed to be sunken back. Her hair was disheveled as if it hadn't been taken care of. However, it was her face and body that were the most shocking. Her skin was tightly pulled across her cheek bones. Her ribs were sticking out in plain view.

"Raven…" I could feel her shaking in my grip, though her face betrayed no emotion.

"Let me go now Robin. You have no right to touch me." I knew she was right and I let go of her but I was not going to let her get away.

"What have you done to yourself? I knew there something wrong but this. You haven't been eating or sleeping have you?"

"If you already know the answer then why are you asking Robin." The response was cold and laced with venom, but I wasn't going to back down.

"Have you looked at yourself Raven. You're hurting yourself. Your killing yourself. What do you hope to accomplish by all of this?"

"Do not dare pass judgment on me Robin. You have no idea what you are talking about. Everything I am doing I am doing for the Titans, for this entire world. Do you have any idea what its like to be afraid to go to sleep because you might hurt someone. Do you?" She tried to raise the tone of her voice but it still only came out as a whisper. I could see she didn't have the energy for this but this needed to be settled.

"No Raven I don't know what that's like, but I do know one thing." I glared down at her tiny form. "If you continue like this you won't be able to help anyone. You won't be able to help this city, the Titans, or yourself. Now I'll make a deal with you. I'll leave you alone, won't bother you for a second if that's what you want. But I need you to eat and sleep. If you're too afraid to sleep, I'll have Cyborg give you something to put you in a completely dreamless sleep. The Titans will do whatever it takes to help you Raven and you need help right now. I promise I'll stay away from you just please do this for the team." Raven stood there and slowly raised her hood back over her face and recovered her fragile body.

"You have a deal Robin. But if I do this, I expect you to live up to your side of the agreement. Stay away from me."

"Agreed. I pushed the button on the elevator and felt it rising again. I turned to look toward the door away from Raven. No matter how much I didn't want to, I would do this for her, to make sure she helped herself. I loved her too much to allow this continue and I would give anything to make sure she was safe. If all I had to do was sacrifice being around the woman I love, it would be done.

The elevator sounded that it had reached its destination. I had made sure it was going to the kitchen. Raven was going to start her part of the deal right now. The doors opened and I waited for her to get off first which she reluctantly did. The entire team was already back in the living room and all their eyes were on us as we got off. I assumed they had noticed that we were absent after getting on the elevator. I did not want to look at them though I found myself meeting SoulBurn's gaze. He had a look of deep sadness as he looked between me and Raven, as if he knew something. He seemed to have a knack for reading people's inner workings due to part of the connection his powers had to a person's essence. He most likely sensed the terrible condition Raven was in and the fact that my heart had probably ripped right in half.

I sensed the awkwardness in the room as no one wanted to say anything since they weren't really sure what they were seeing. I glanced at Raven who was indeed sticking to her part of the deal. She was currently making tea and a sandwich. I didn't show it but relief was washing over me. At least something was going right. I walked over to the couch and sat down. Starfire was sitting there with her hands folded looking pensively at me. However, I had no words to speak to any of them. Right now I only had words for Raven but those would not be spoken.


	12. Two Unique Essences

1

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to the Teen Titans so don't even try suing me for the minuscule property I have.

Chapter 12: Two Unique Essences

3 days passed and a slight tension still filled the air at Titan's tower. Though everyone tried to act as if nothing was wrong, the frostiness of the atmosphere was almost tangible. No had talked about the incident on the elevator and no one asked. Two things were for sure though. In the past 3 days Raven had come out of her room more sharing every meal with the Titans. Though she said very little, everyone was just relieved to be able to see her form. The other thing that everyone took notice of was that there were absolutely no words spoken between Robin and Raven, ever. The closest they ever even came into contact was across the table when easting and even then they never even looked at each other. Any other time that Robin was in the room, Raven wasn't and vice versa. It was something that made everyone wince a little as they watched it, though no one said anything.

Starfire was not buzzing around the room with uncontrollable amounts of energy as usual though she was still almost always with smiles. She was simply relieved to have Raven out of her room. The only time Raven had come down to read in the past three days, Starfire simply sat across the couch staring at Raven's form with a large smile. She did not say anything to her friend but simply enjoyed having the chance to be in her presence. Beast Boy continued to drift into a type of depression though no one bothered to ask about it, while SoulBurn simply sat grim observing everyone. It seemed as if the somber mood of his surroundings was literally forcing him into a bad mood. The only time a smile would reach his face was when Starfire would try to cheer him up or when she cutely interacted with Silkie.

Cyborg spent more time in the garage working on his projects. He really went there to think about everything that was going on, hoping an answer would come to him, some simple words of wisdom he could pass down to all the younger Titans that would solve everything. The words never came. Robin had become as much a specter of Titan's tower as Raven was. He was almost never seen except at meals. He was either out on patrol, his room, or in the gym. He refused to acknowledge that anything was going on and simply turned in on himself. Not that long ago he had been more relaxed than he had ever felt before, but now the Robin of old had resurfaced. His dark, brooding behavior had returned and his cold presence was unsettling to be around. As like with SoulBurn, only Starfire seemed to make him smile when he was seen.

Had it truly not been for Starfire, everyone probably would have already caved in on themselves. Though no one wanted to admit, it was her smile each day that everyone was holding on to. The smile was something that had always been there, but as of late it had taken on a new significance. It was a small bit of hope in a place going to hell.

Night had come again just as it always did. The night was clear with the stars clearly visible in the sky. Despite the late hour, Robin was still awake, sitting on the edge of the roof, staring out toward the city. Though no one knew it, that was the same spot he was known to sit when Raven meditated on the roof. It could not be seen, but his eyes were closed behind his mask as the window gently blew around him. He was simply imagining a time not that long ago when he and Raven could sit comfortably for hours saying nothing. No words, no small talk, just enjoying the presence of the other as the problems of the day were forgotten.

However, those days were long gone. The silence that existed between them now was deafening to him and every day of exile from that comfort was like being stabbed through the heart. He wished he understood everything that was going on with Raven. He wish he knew what Slade and Raven's Father were up to so he could go out and find a way to stop it. He wished he knew why Raven kept forcing him so far away. So many questions, but never a satisfying answer.

He wondered if Raven was simply being blunt and ensuring no more time was wasted by him on emotions that she would never return. It was a horrifying thought, but he knew it couldn't be true. He had felt too many good emotions from Raven toward him through their link even during the recent arguments. She had to feel something. Robin knew that she believed she was acting to protect those around her, but it wasn't them that truly needed protection, it was her. Right now she was the most vulnerable, emotionally and physically, yet she continued to suffer in silence, that awful, terrible silence.

Another sigh escaped Robin's lips. Raven shouldn't have to continue to try and do it all by herself. Robin suddenly tensed as he felt the presence of another person. Not one to admit to being snuck on, he turned around as if he knew the person had always been there. His eyes met with the standing form of SoulBurn who most likely had appeared out of thin air. He, like Robin had been, was simply staring off toward the city. Robin was the first to speak.

"Is there something you want to say to me SoulBurn?" It was not everyday that SoulBurn made any attempt at private contact toward a Titan.

"No Robin, but I believe you have something to say to me."

"What makes you think that?"

"You continue to be angry that Raven hides her emotions from you, yet you in turn, spend hours brooding over that fact hidden away from your friends. Now I haven't been around very long, but to me that sounds a little like being a hypocrite" Robin gritted his teeth at the comment though he knew SoulBurn was right. He was doing the same exact thing to the rest of the team. He allowed his own suffering to blind himself to the rest of the team as it suffered as well.

"Your right. I have been a hypocrite. Its just I know there going to tell me that everything will work out in the end like it always do and everyone can live happily ever after, but how can I believe it when I don't think that's a possibility. How can I let them try to cheer me up when I'm losing hope there's a chance here for a happy ending."

Robin once again looked back out toward the city, not wanting to see what might be the expression on SoulBurn's face at his words. He had let his emotions get the better of him. Once thing he and Raven had strongly in common was a desire to never appear vulnerable in front of anyone else. It was something they both had learned at a young age not to allow, and here Robin was doing it. However, SoulBurn had been right. He couldn't keep letting the bad feelings fester within anymore.

"How about an impartial view on the whole situation to try and help you out Robin." Robin turned to SoulBurn with a strange look. Was he actually offering his opinion.

"Why the hell not SoulBurn. Let's see it you have any words of wisdom." Robin's words were slightly laced with sarcasm and defeat. He highly doubted someone that had only know the Titan's for about 2 weeks could offer any help.

"I am aware that you probably always be suspicious of me Robin, probably until I do something that will earn you respect I will be watched carefully by you. I also know that you probably doubt what I have to say because I have not been here very long, but I do understand things. I have trouble trying to think about any type of future for anybody because of what I feel is coming. Its hard enough trying to think about my own future when I don't even have a past. The one thing I do have still is my instincts. Instincts that drive me to feel guilt for what I was forced to do, instincts that led me to believe that you all would help me, instincts that even made me believe Raven was a threat that time in the infirmary when I first arrived. I never did tell you about that did I?" Robin looked at SoulBurn, realizing he had almost forgotten that entire event with everything else that had happened.

"Yeah, I actually am kind of curious about that. Raven never really had an answer for me."

"First let me explain something. Through my powers, I can feel the energy of everything that exists. All living creatures have a specific energy I can see within them, especially within all people. As I once before, this could be referred to a soul or an essence, whatever you wish to believe. What matters is every person has a unique essence that identifies them. Though a majority of them that I have encountered have been very similar, there have been a few very unique essences that have been able to affect me directly. Both are residents of this tower. Starfire's essence is of the purest white. She is perfect innocent even in a universe of terrible darkness, even in the face of Armageddon. You may notice that I enjoy greatly being around Starfire.

"Yeah, couldn't help but notice she seems to be the only one that makes you smile." Robin had a suspicious tone in his voice. SoulBurn let out a slight chuckle.

"I can ensure you that I have no romantic desire for Starfire. As I said before, the purity of her essence is ablr to affect me. I'ts hard to explain but being around her, I feel total comfort and contentment. It feels like I am whole again, that I have something that was lost. Being around her is a type of spiritual healing for me. It helps me have hope in myself and the world."

"So I'm assuming this other special essence would be Raven."

"You assume correct Robin, though during that time in the infirmary, her essence had the opposite effect that Starfire's has. I do not now how, but the second I felt Raven come into the room my instincts shouted to me that I was in danger. One word came to my mind, Demon. When I saw her, I saw a terrible darkness within her. Blacker than void. It frightened me because it was the same presence I had felt when being controlled by Slade.

"Trigon." The name was stated. A cold breeze blew past both young men.

"I know he is Raven's Father, and I also know that the name brings a feeling of dread to me. When I felt that presence in Raven, my body reacted on its own as you witnessed."

"I also recall that you managed to calm down and said something along the line of there being some light."

"You are again correct. It took me awhile to figure out what I was seeing within Raven but the other day it was revealed to me. The darkness within Raven is great indeed but it is not total. It has deeply wrapped itself around Raven's true essence, like some kind of snake, trying to destroy it. It was hard to see the brightness of her essence that time in the infirmary but it was there. When you stepped in front of her when you perceived me as a threat, it managed to peak out from the shadows engulfing it. However, it is as of late that I have noticed something even darker. The darkness of her soul has seemingly come alive. Though her true essence seems to be fighting harder than ever to reveal itself, the evil within her as only grown that much stronger. She is losing Robin. She is losing the battle"

"Why the hell didn't you say something before! I have to get to her right now. She could be in danger." Robin shot up from his spot ready to run to the door. He was stopped by a strong grip on his arm. He turned to meet SoulBurn's gaze. The intensity of SoulBurn's gaze was powerful indeed.

"Stop." It was a command. "Allow me to finish talking. If after you still wish to go to Raven, then I will allow it.

"Alright. You have five minutes. What do you have left to say."Robin jerked his arm way from SoulBurn and crossed his arms in front of himself standing as tall as he could.

"There is nothing you can do Robin that you already have not done. Why do you think her true essence has been fighting to free itself, to be seen. What possible reason could she have for that?"

"Me. Its for me and the Titans." Robin lowered his head in realization. "She is fighting because of us, in order to keep control so nothing bad will happen."

"That is what I believe also Robin, but you would know more than I. As long as Trigon's power continues to grow in this realm, it will become harder and harder for her to fight. The blackness may not be her but it is of her. She knows if it grows too strong, she will succumb to the darkness"

"Raven would never turn evil. She is far too strong to lose a battle of wills."

"Once again, that is something you would know better than me. What I know is that the dark essence within her is of great power. She may be strong, but the dark essence is stronger."

"So what the hell am I supposed to do then. Sit around while she is consumed by this darkness. Wait around for her to lose herself and become what I know she despises."

"Yes and no. You must not push her right now. Because of the feelings I believe she has for you, it is you and you alone that make her weak and afraid. From the files you gave me I know that her emotions are tied to her powers. Probably a sick joke by Trigon to prevent her from being free. She is afraid of her emotions, especially the ones you stir in her. She can't fight the dark essence and such strong feelings at the same time.

"So what am I supposed to do then. I can't just do nothing." Robin's voice was weak, the feeling of being useless to help Raven eating away at him."

"The only way to help Raven is to stop the prophecy, stop Trigon's power from coming to this world. She says she is researching something, looking for something that has to do with the prophecy. We must find out what it is so we can help find it. Once again, I can feel it within me. My instincts are telling me there isn't much time left so we must find this information quickly."

"And just how to you plan on getting that information out of Raven. She's said maybe 10 words to her friends over the past week and a half."

"I am going to talk to her. I believe I can reason with her logical side because she has no emotional attachments to me. She will be more relaxed in my presence because she doesn't give a whole lot of damn about me right now and has no worry of losing control around me.

"Do you really think you can talk to her?" Robin's voice was hopeful.

"Yes I do. If I can spend 10 hours talking to Starfire about absolutely nothing without going crazy, " A small smile formed on SoulBurn's face, "I think I might have a shot talking to Raven I may be the only one who can." Robin couldn't help but smile but the smile quickly disappered.

"Alright, you have two days to get some answers. If you don't, I'm going to get the Titan's involved. Even if I have to stay away, doesn't mean they have to completely." A dark look crossed SoulBurn's face.

"We need to make some type of progress into the prophecy. I have a feeling that the time draws near, and that if we don't find some answers soon, its going to be far too late for any of us."

"I have the same exact feeling." Another cold breeze brushed past the two standing figures. Alright, it's late, time to go to bed." Both young men turned around and started walking toward the door. "You know SoulBurn, you really seem to know just what to say to calm someone down."

"Thank you. You'd be amazed how perceptive you can be when you have a direct connection to a person's very being."

"Yeah that is a hell of an advantage. Must make it pretty easy to talk to girls." Both smiled. Robin opened the door to leave the roof. "I want to get one last thing straight SoulBurn, now you're positive that Raven has strong feelings for me, Right?" A quite laugh was heard as SoulBurn walked past Robin inside.

"Do not ask questions that you already know the answer to in your heart. Some answers are best heard only within yourself, not from a stranger." And with that SoulBurn disappeared into the darkness of the staircase as Robin remained contemplating the final words. For the first time in awhile, the silence was not unbearable.


	13. Guilty

1A/N: Sorry for a long delay but my current activities are not very conducive to dealing with any type of intelligent thought. SoulBurn and Raven talk. Keep in mind that Raven believes it was her anger that took control of her. She does not know that it was in fact her actual Father working through her to kill Malchior. She does not know that her Father already knows her feelings for Robin. Kind of sad that she keeps Robin away to protect him but in reality, the enemy already knows how important he is to her. That's got to suck. A small good moment for Raven. Even she gets one right now. Well, hope you enjoy this one. I more or less wrote it twice because the first one sucked. Also, I decided to do something a little bit differently. I hope it will work out

Ch. 13: Guilty

Raven P.O.V:

Another day had passed and I had yet to find the answer to the hint Malchior had given me. It bothered me that I felt the smallest bit of satisfaction being the cause of Malchior's untimely demise. I should never feel satisfaction over something so wrong. Thankfully, there was a deep guilt within me. The guilt reminded me that I wasn't a killer. Slade was a killer. My father was the killer and I would not become him.

Going against every fiber of my being, I was sleeping a little bit because I had promised Robin. I was still afraid my anger would find some way to take control again. I believed that by restricting myself from anything that might make me emotional, I would never be weak enough for my darker side to surface. It was not a side I wanted to face again.

Unlike Slade and the real form of my Father, my dark side knew all my secrets. It knew what I secretly craved and desired and knew exactly how to use that information to hurt me. It had used my feelings toward Robin to make me destroy Malchior. It was a horrible feeling to lose control like that, but the worst part of it was that my dark side had corrupted the warm feelings I had for Robin. It twisted and manipulated those feelings, taking possibly the last pure thing within myself away. I was tainted through and through. Robin…I'm so sorry.

I rarely allowed my thoughts to drift specifically to Robin, though at this moment I allowed myself a small bit of forbidden emotions. Emotions were not something I could afford right now. It was getting harder and harder each day to maintain control. I was spending more hours meditiating than I would have liked and was not getting promising results. No matter what I did, I could feel the darkness within me growing and I knew I was running out of time to find out this truth about the prophecy. I let out a deep sigh and thought of my reasons for continuing the fight. The Titans. Seeing them laughing and joking at dinner helped calm the raging darkness within me though they would never know that. It gave me strength to push on. I would find a way to protect them.

Today at dinner I noticed that Robin seemed to be in a better mood than he had been. Of course I knew his entire depressing state was the result of my actions, but I pushed any regret I had about it deep within me. I think he understood my reasons deep within himself. He had been willing to give up contact with me to force me to eat and sleep, give up what he wanted for my safety. I was simply doing the same thing, though I chose a more blunt way of doing it. I was not allowed to be sensitive with this situation. Being sensitive meant the possibility of making mistakes, and this was one situation I could not afford to make a mistake on. I had already made enough

Following another dinner with the Titans, I immediately left for my room before anyone could stop me. I had some research to do on the prophecy before meditating and maybe sleeping. I noticed that SoulBurn had been absent at dinner tonight though that was not an uncommon occurrence. He was a lot like Robin in his behavior in that he seemed to just appear or disappear depending on his apparent mood. Like Robin, he was fond of locking himself away in the guest room or working out in the gym.

These were all facts I had picked up from the various conversations I listened in on during dinner, though never contributing. I don't think I've ever directly spoken to him since he has arrived. I can't say I feel totally comfortable around him for some reason though I hardly see him as a threat. I still stood by what I had told Robin when he asked what I thought about SoulBurn. I did not feel any direct hostility from him toward me nor did I feel the warmth he seemed to project toward Starfire, which Starfire loved to giggle about at dinner. Lets hope another strange, hormonal young man hasn't taken an interest in our resident supermodel. We all know Star loves Robin still though she tries not to show it. Another life ruined by my existence without me even trying. Why did you have to be so stupid Robin.

As I approached my door to my room I was shocked to find SoulBurn leaning against my door with his arms crossed over his chest waiting in the dimly lit hallway. Even in the low light, his hair and eyes were still visible making his presence easy to see. A part of me wanted to simply teleport into my room away from him but some unseen will guided me toward him.

"What is it that you want SoulBurn that required you to obstruct my path?" My voice was cold and strong.

"To talk Raven. Simply to talk." I felt his gaze on me. His voice was as emotionless as mine, which was no small feat.

"I do not believe I have anything to say to you, so would you move out of the way so I can go to my room. I am very busy."

"I assure you this will only take a few moments of your time Raven. There is only one topic we need to discuss." I knew right away that whatever he wanted to talk about was probably not going to help my mental state so it was best I ended this now.

"And I assure you that there is no topic that requires us to speak to each other. If you really want to bother somebody go bother Starfire. She might actually enjoy you inane prattle." SoulBurn stood up from where he was leaning on my door and step to the side. I open my door and began to walk through but was suddenly stopped by SoulBurn's next words.

"You know as well as I do time is running out, for you and all of us. We need to discuss the prophecy." It was not what he had said to me that made me stop but rather the way it was said. The words were spoken in perfect Azarthian.

However, that was impossible. The people of Azarath had all been destroyed when the entire planet exploded. It had occurred after Azar's death and my immediate exile following it. Azar was the only reason I was allowed to be there, to be trained as a weapon against Trigon. With her death the hatred and fear of me by the others who did not agree with Azar quickly boiled over. Where ever my mother was, she made no attempts to help me. They threatened my life if I did not leave. It was how I ended up on Earth. I do not know exactly how the planet was destroyed though I was sure that my Father had something to do with it. It was as if one day I simply knew the planet was no more. It had been a strange feeling to simply know my home was gone though I never considered it my home. I did wonder about the fate of the people and my mother, but even after all this time I had never found an answer.

This all brought me back to my original thought as I'm sure I had been standing there silently for at least a minute. How could someone who had to be only slightly older than me, know Azarath's language when I should be the only person in the Universe with that knowledge. The people of Azarath never, ever dealt with other worlds so with the planets destruction, the language should have died with it. If he knows the language that means he was on that planet at the same time I was, he had to be but that was impossible. I would at least be able to remember an aura as unique as his. I turned around and stared up at the taller SoulBurn, staring deep into his eyes.

"How is it that you know that language?" My voice was quiet as it was hard to form the words with so many thoughts flowing through my head. A small, emotionless chuckle came from SoulBurn.

"I could say the same thing I just said to you in a thousand different languages that I have no idea how I know them. As time has passed, some memories seemed to have seeped back into my consciousness though they are trivial things like basic facts and language one would obtain from a book. I still have no memory of myself though. I simply believed you would take me more seriously if I spoke to you in language of your home." I quickly shot back at him.

"That place was not my home." It came out with more anger than I would have liked. I quickly calmed myself down "You have 5 minutes. What do you want to know?"

"I wish to know what you know about the prophecy Raven. I wish to know what you are researching because there is the possibility I might know something about it."

"I see no reason why you should take an interest in my destiny SoulBurn." I watched his face grow very dark.

"You and I have one very important thing in common Raven. Neither of us chose to be part of this. The Titans, they have chose to stand by you no matter what. It was their choice to be a part of the coming conflict. You and me, however, do not have that choice. You have never had a choice from even the very beginning, born for the single purpose of allowing Trigon into this realm. I…I was forced by your Father and his minions to take so many lives to be sacrificed to help bring about Trigon's release."

His voice was low and filled with such guilt, a guilt I could relate too. He was forced to be a killer, just as I was manipulated into becoming. Though he was forced to kill the innocent while I destroyed a monster, we both felt guilt about our actions, for being to weak to stop them. His voice raised a little as he continued to speak.

"No matter what happens now Raven, I am a part of this prophecy no matter what I decide to do. I have unwillingly played a part in helping to bring about and I must now follow it to the end. There is no choice left to me. This destiny is now as much yours as it is mine." I slowly mulled over his words in my head.

"So you believe you might know something then that could help?"

"There is always the chance. I also believe if it turns out I do not know anything, I could be valuable help in researching because of my knowledge of languages. I believe it is a logical idea." I could not find any fault in his words. He might know something and having him research would give me more time to meditate.

"I will allow you to help me, but under one condition. You will not tell any of the other Titans about anything you learn unless I tell you its okay. Is that acceptable?"

"Yes, but I need to be able to tell Robin that I will be working with you. I don't think he would be happy if he was not able to find my presence."

"Robin already knows you were coming to talk to me, doesn't he." A small grin appeared on SoulBurn's face as he nodded.

"You can tell him then that you will be assisting me but nothing else. You can start tomorrow morning, very early. I will come drop some books off I could not translate to your room. Never come to my room. Clear?" Again he nodded in agreement.

"Now if you will excuse me I have to meditate." I turned toward my room but was stopped again by his voice.

"One more thing Raven. I know it is getting harder and harder to fight the darkness within. I know you are slowly being consumed by that which you hate. One way or another, an end is coming for all of us Raven. I just want you to remember that there is something good inside you. Something as pure and beautiful as that which I see in Starfire. It may be shrouded and covered by the malevolent presence of Trigon, but there is a part of you that will always be innocent of all this Raven. Never forget that."

I did not need to see it but I knew he had disappeared in a flash of light. He was long gone before I finally stepped into the darkness of my room. He would never hear the two softly spoken words, no more than a whisper, of gratitude from me on what he had said.


	14. Seals of the Gate

1

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to the Teen Titans so don't even try suing me for the minuscule property I have.

Ch. 14: Seals of the Gate

Raven P.O.V:

I found that I felt slightly better since allowing SoulBurn to assist me in my research. Stacks of formerly unreadable books now were dwindling down to almost nothing. It seemed SoulBurn was very serious about finding an answer quickly and attacked the task of researching with quite a bit of enthusiasm. In two days he had made it through almost as many books as I had since learning the information from Malchior.

Every few hours I would go to his room with a few new books I thought would be of the most importance. He would greet me with a small smile and a wave of his hand to enter. The guest room still looked like no one was living there but that was expected as SoulBurn had nothing of his own to clutter up the space. The only things he had were some hygiene supplies and some spare clothes provided to him by Robin. SoulBurn chose to dress in the clothes of a civilian. Black shoes, black shirts, and jeans were what seemed to be his choice. If not for his hair and eyes, he would be completely lost in a crowd of everyday people.

Once inside his room, he would proceed to update me on his current findings toward the prophecy. He had discovered small bits of information but nothing solid as to when the day of the prophecy was. All his finding seemed to come back to phrases like ocean's of fire and darkened sun but it was all vague. I saw that it was frustrating for him to come up empty handed time and time again. He would not show it on his face, but I could see him clench his hands into fists sometimes when he would talk about missing information. Frustration was definitely one of the few feelings I could truly relate too. Today when I went to see him, I was surprised to find the door open up before I even had a chance to knock. SoulBurn stood in front of me gazing down at my smaller figure with a small smile.

"You're late Raven. I finished the last book you gave me an hour ago and have been waiting for you ever since. I was almost tempted to go to your room and get the books myself." I glared coldly at him at his last comment.

"You know you are never to go to my room SoulBurn. I did make that explicitly clear when we first talked did I not."

"Yes you did Raven but sadly patience is a virtue I don't seem to have."

"Yes but if you go into my room, patience will only be one of many things that you won't have, ever again." The words definitely sounded threatening though SoulBurn's reaction was only to smile a little more.

"You really are quite the jokester Raven. Starfire did say you had an interesting sense of humor and I can definitely see it. Please come in so I can inform you of my most recent findings." As I followed him into his room, my curiosity got the better of me.

"What else did Starfire say about me." I couldn't help but ask. I wanted to know exactly what Starfire felt was important enough to tell SoulBurn about me. SoulBurn let out a soft chuckle.

"Nothing really. She said you were her bestest friend who is a girl in the whole universe and that you were very quiet and smart. You love reading and tea and dislike unnecessary conversations which is strange because you did start this unnecessary conversation did you not." I have him another death glare though he seemed to take no notice.

"She went on to explain some of your adventures including one about where you two switched bodies. She gained a tremendous amount of respect for you after that. Did you know that Raven?" I went to respond but he cut me off.

"But I'm sure we have other things to talk about. I did find something rather interesting that I'm sure you would like to know. Please sit down." I took my normal seat as he sat down on his bed and picked up a book and handed it to me. I could not read the language at all.

"Why are you handing me a book that you know I have no ability to read." He smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry. It contains a small passage about the Gate which from what I remember from my time with Slade, is you."

"Yes that is correct. What does it say about the Gate." I remained completely emotionless though I was afraid of what he might say.

"It spoke of 5 things that must be provided after the markings are placed to open the Gate. The first is the sacrifice of the souls of the innocent. I believe that I am responsible for providing that." That haunted look returned to his eyes but was quickly replaced by nothingness. He continued speaking. "The others are rather vague. Blood of purity and darkness alike. The flame of Hell and the Rage of the Light. I don't know what any of those are, but at least we know what our enemies are searching for." I thought over what SoulBurn had told me and then it just clicked.

"Slade. Slade is the flame of Hell. He controls the infernal fires of Hell, provided to him by my father. He will provide that to open the Gate." I think both of us tensed at the sound of his name. It was a name that only brought pain and misery.

"If you don't mind me asking Raven. Why do you hate Slade so much. I know of what he did to Robin and Terra as well as myself, but what about you. The hatred I sense from you seems to stem from something very personal. How did he hurt you?" I let out a soft sigh. There was no harm in telling him.

"The markings. The markings mentioned in the passage have already been placed on me…by Slade. On my last birthday, Slade finally made his return following his disappearance after being defeated by Terra. He had returned specifically for me, at the orders of my father. He easily defeated the Titans. He was far more powerful than any of us could handle. He burned the very markings into my body though you can not see them they are there. It was a very painful experience." SoulBurn only nodded grimly.

"Eventually he cornered me and forced me to have a vision of the future, a future where my Father was free and the world was destroyed. A future where my friends were dead. Eventually I regained control only to have Slade through my beaten, half-naked body off the tower we were on. Robin managed to catch me before I fell. I hate him because he hurt my friends only to get to me. I hate him because he jump-started my destiny. I hate him because he nearly killed Robin." I stopped suddenly shocked by my words. I really just didn't say that to SoulBurn.

With all my extra time away from researching, I had been meditating more and felt like I was in more control. That little slip told me I wasn't and I was angry at myself for allowing it to happen. When I looked up at SoulBurn, I could tell by the look in his eyes that he noticed my slip as well though he did not say anything. In fact, he quickly changed the subject.

"Slade is apparently very good at instilling hate into someone, but anyways, that one passage was all I found so far that was worth mentioning. I think it would be best if I got back to work."

"Yes it would." I motioned to the stack of books I had walked in with. Three heavy tomes of knowledge that might hold the key to our salvation or just more grim reminders that the end was inevitably coming.

"Try these three books, and I'll make sure I bring some more early tomorrow morning. Is that agreeable?" He nodded in quiet understanding. I bid him goodnight and glided out of the room. I needed to meditate again. I wanted to curse out my emotions till I was exhausted but I only could think of how happy I had been when I was caught from my fall and when I looked up, saw the face of Robin smiling down at me.

Night settled on the tower yet again. Most of the occupants had retired into restless sleep, even Raven who reluctantly did after another long session of meditation. However, two members of the tower were still awake. SoulBurn continued to read through the books Raven had given him. The one he currently read seemed to definitely know something of the coming prophecy though it had yet to tell him anything he didn't already know. A loud grumble from his stomach reminded him that he had not eaten today but instead had been locked in his room reading vigorously.

He decided to go get something to eat before continuing his work and in a flash teleported into the kitchen. However, upon appearing in the kitchen, SoulBurn found a very startled shapeshifter who had been only a few feet from where he had appeared. A yelp and a body hitting the floor was Beast Boy's reward for having been there.

"You scared the crap out of me SoulBurn. Can't you just walk into a room like a normal person or are you like Raven and just enjoy causing me to freak out by unexpected appearances. Jeez, I think I just lost 5 years of my life." SoulBurn extended a hand and helped the young changling to his feet. He then noticed what was on the ground next to Beast Boy. There was a bouquet of red flowers. SoulBurn looked between the flowers on the ground and Beast Boy.

"If those are for me I'll have you know I prefer white flowers to red. And also you have no chance in hell." A chuckle escaped from SoulBurn. Beast Boy laughed as well though he sounded incredibly nervous.

"Yeah I like white flowers too… No wait, I mean those aren't for you. There for somebody else." His voice trailed off as he spoke.

"May I ask what you were doing in the kitchen at slightly past midnight with a bouquet of flowers, on what I believe to be is a school night." A look of sorrow formed on Beast Boy's face despite the attempt at keeping the mode light-hearted.

"I wouldn't expect you to know SoulBurn. Cyborg and Starfire knew. I half expected Raven and Robin to forget, but both of their minds have been completely somewhere else lately so it was also expected they'd forget. I don't know how much you know about us from your readings of the files but does the name Terra mean anything to you."

"Yes. Tara Markov also know as Terra. Power over the element of Earth. For a time was the sixth Titan and helped stop many crimes. In the end, turned out to be a spy for Slade and betrayed the Titans. Nearly killed them and conquered Jump City. Eventually turned against Slade and gave her life to stop a volcano from destroying the city. It was believed she had killed Slade. Following death, reinstated as a Titan."

"Yeah that's the simplified version of it. There was so much more to it though. She was our friend. Even Raven trusted her, and when she betrayed us it was almost too much to bear, especially for me. You see, I really liked her. Sometimes I think I even loved her. The night she betrayed us was our first date. We were about to share our first kiss when Slade arrived. It was all downhill after that. You see, these flowers are for her. Today is the one year anniversary of Terra's death. I am going to go visit her grave and pay my respects. Maybe even try to talk to her some. Ever since Slade returned, I really haven't been able to make it out there as much as I would have liked. I wanted to get there as soon as the day started so that's why I'm down here at midnight. I know its kinda weird but I just, ya know."

"No need to explain your actions Beast Boy. Your just following your heart and that never needs explaining." SoulBurn gave Beast Boy a small smile to try and ease the depressed form of Beast Boy. The green shapeshifter did return the smile but it was a very empty smile.

"However, there is one thing I would like to ask. Why did you all forgive Terra so easily for what she did. She tried to kill you all and destroy the city. What made it so easy to forgive?"

Even Beast Boy was not so stupid to not understand the purpose of SoulBurn's question. Knowing what he knew about the mysterious young man, he knew the question was meant for more than just explaining about Terra. It was about trying to find an understanding of what he had done and find forgiveness in himself.

"First off had Terra really wanted us dead we would be dead. She could have easily killed us all, but we all survived. She could have never destroyed us. We forgave her because at the end of everything, we say Terra for what she truly was. She wasn't some sadistic megalomaniac bent on world domination. She was a scared little girl who was afraid that her powers would destroy those around her. She had been alone for so very long that when Slade offered her control she couldn't say no. She didn't want control for power, she wanted control so she didn't have to run anymore. She wanted control so she could have a life that wasn't only the barren wasteland of the desert."

"I knew Terra better than anyone of the Titans. She was never a monster though she believed herself to be one when she didn't have control. She was a good person deep down and when she defeated Slade and gave her life to save everything, she finally showed that to everyone, including herself. She was forgiven because despite everything, she chose to die a hero rather than live as a villian" A few small tears had managed to escape from Beast Boy's eyes during his speech. SoulBurn's eyes were slightly glossed over though he showed no other indication that the touching words had even been spoken.

"Beast Boy. It is not safe to being going out at this time with the threats that are out there…" Beast Boy cut him off and responded with anger.

"There is no way you or anyone is stopping me from going to see Terra tonight and…"

"You did not let me finish Beast Boy. I was going to say that it is not safe to go alone. I would like to go with you. I would also like to pay my respects to Terra. If you'll allow me that is." Beast Boy smiled a goofy grin.

"Sure you can come man. I think Terra would have enjoyed meeting you and since ya never know when the worlds going to fall apart, this could be the only chance you get to meet her. We'll be walking there so I hope you're up for that. It will also give me a chance to tell you some really funny stories about Terra and me. You'll be rolling on the ground laughing after I tell you these."

Beast Boy picked up the flowers and the two figures began walking toward their destination. One talking rapidly while laughing and the other simply listening with a smile on his face. Unknown to SoulBurn as he followed Beast Boy out the door was the fact that on the very next page of the book he had been reading was something very important to the prophecy. As with all the other clues, the words were cryptic, but he would have understood enough. Had he read that particular passage, things might have gone differently that night. Had he read about the stone maiden, his decisions would have been different. However, that was not to be the case. Certain decisions were made and a path to oblivion had been set, just exactly as how Lucifer had seen it to be so very long ago.


	15. A Noble Mistake

1

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to the Teen Titans so don't even try suing me for the minuscule property I have.

Ch. 15: A Noble Mistake

It was quiet in Jump City this night. The sky was clear, the stars were clearly visible above, and a gentle breeze moved through the city. It was a beautiful night in a city which suffered from constant threat by Supervillians and maniacs. The only sound around the city were the high voice of a young shapeshifter as he told stories about his beloved Earth-mover. The atmosphere was serene and lighthearted. It was such a change from the atmosphere that had plagued Titans Tower for a few weeks now. It almost seemed like things would finally turn around for the young group of heroes. However, unknown to them, things were going exactly as planned from the very beginning. SoulBurn was fated to walk into Terra's cave that night, whether it was by his choice or forced by another. This was as it was meant to be and somewhere near the city, hidden in darkness, a dark laugh echoed throughout the night.

"I wish you would have seen it SoulBurn. Robin's hair was pink for a week. It was hilarious. Even Raven laughed. Starfire wouldn't leave him alone for a second. She couldn't get enough of it. Man was Robin mad at me and Terra, but it was so worth it." Beast Boy stopped talking suddenly as they came to the entrance to Terra's final resting place. He stopped at the entrance as SoulBurn stayed a few feet behind me.

"Well here it is SoulBurn. Its time to meet one of the best people I've ever known."

"I'm glad Beast Boy. Please lead the way." Beast Boy nodded quietly as the two began walking into the tomb. The entire area was nothing but solidified lava, the last remnants of that terrible battle. Standing in the center was a stone statue. The final resting place of the sixth Titan Terra. Her arms were outstretched and mouth was open, set in a final act of desperation to save the city and her friends. She had succeeded, at the cost of her life. Beast Boy approached her while SoulBurn hung back giving Beast Boy his time.

It was simple but heart wrenching as Beast Boy laid the flowers down at her feet and began talking to her as if she really was there. His words were quiet and simple yet held unbelievable amounts of feeling. This went on for a few minutes though SoulBurn had not been listening to any of what Beast Boy said. He simply stood there, gazing upon the form of the stone maiden seeing something only he could see. It had only taken him a few moments to realize something very important once seeing Terra. Terra was not dead though she was trapped in stone. He could see a brightness coming from the statue, a burning light that cut through the darkness.

However, it wasn't until after several minutes that he began hearing it. A quiet yet sad voice of a young girl echoing throughout the entire place. It kept saying the same thing over and over again.

"I'm so sorry Beast Boy. I'm so sorry Titans. This is my punishment and I accept it. I will remain in stone forever." The voice was almost too painful to listen to. Such sadness, such sorrow. It kept getting louder and louder, nearly deafening. SoulBurn began clutching his head as it felt like his mind would explode. SoulBurn was only pulled away from the voice by a slight pat on the back and Beast Boy's words.

"And this Terra is our new friend SoulBurn. He's only been with us for a few weeks, and I don't know a lot about him, but he did want to meet you after I told him how great you are. He was hurt by Slade just like you. He is going to help us save Raven and the world. So without further adieu, SoulBurn, I would like you to meet our favorite blond Earth-angel Terra." SoulBurn did not say anything right way, only stood there with his mouth slightly open.

"Uhm hello Terra. It is nice to meet you." SoulBurn was cut off by the voice only he could hear.

"Hello. Who's there? Why can I hear you? I shouldn't hear you."

"Calm down Terra. I am only a friend of the Titans. You can hear me because of my powers. You can hear me because I am speaking directly into your essence which continues to linger within the stone body you have chosen to lock yourself away in."

"A friend of the Titans. I used to be a friend of the Titans until I hurt them so much. Why did I let Slade use me. I'm so very sorry." The sounds of gentle sobbing replaced the words. SoulBurn was suddenly pulled from the conversation by the grip of Beast Boy on his arm.

"SoulBurn! SoulBurn! Hey man, are you okay? Your eyes started glowing blue and you completely zoned out of me. You started saying some weird things to Terra. It was kinda giving me the creeps." SoulBurn simply turned a gazed down at the smaller form of Beast Boy, eyes continuing to brighten the dim cavern.

"Beast Boy. I need you listen carefully. I need you to trust me right now. Please just stay back and let what is happening happen. I have to help Terra. She can be saved" Beast Boy was confused by SoulBurn's words.

"Terra is…she's dead SoulBurn. She can't be saved!" His voice was strained.

"Please just trust me Beast Boy. She has a chance, if you only trust me."

"If you can help her, please do it." SoulBurn turned around toward Terra and began walking forward. He started speaking directly to the statue.

"Terra. The Titans know that you are sorry. They have forgiven you for what you've done. There is no need to stay locked in stone. Come back to the Titans. They need you." Terra's voice rang out though only he could hear it.

"No! They would never forgive me. They would never need me. They are happy that I am gone. Please stop with your lies." The voice faded with the last words.

"Listen! I am not lying, but if you won't believe me then understand this. You keep saying you are sorry for your actions and that staying locked in stone is your punishment. That is the cowards way out. If you truly want redemption then face the reality of this world. The Titans are in trouble and so is this entire world. Everything you gave to save this city will soon mean absolutely shit because there will be nothing less when this is all over. You have a chance to prove on a far grander scale that you are truly sorry for everything you've done. This world truly needs you."

"Beast Boy…I hurt him the most. No matter what I can do I can never redeem myself in his eyes."

"You really are stupid Terra, you know that. Who do you think is standing behind me right now. Who do you think was the first to come visit you on the 1 year anniversary of your supposed death. Who do you think brought you flowers and told you how much he missed you. He might need you the most of anyone Terra. Now stop with the damn excuses." SoulBurn placed his hands on to both of Terra's outstretched arm. "If you truly wish to find redemption, let me help you. I need you to want to be free"

"I…I will try. For Beast Boy. For the world." Beast Boy watched in awe as blue energy came from SoulBurn's hands. It flowed into Terra. After a few moments, the statue began glowing yellow. There was a bright flash of bright blue and yellow which forced Beast Boy to close his eyes. It took him a second to regain focus and was speechless at what he saw. There knelt SoulBurn with Terra cradled in his arms. She was still in your tattered apprentice uniform but she was indeed flesh and bone. The only sound in the cavern seemed to be her steady breathing. Finally gaining control of himself, Beast Boy ran forward toward the two. He dropped down beside SoulBurn and stared at a face he thought he would never see again.

"Terra." He brushed his hand across her cheek. He needed to feel her, needed to make sure she was real. Tears started falling from his eyes. "You're finally back. Thank you."

"Beast Boy. I need you to get her to the infirmary back at the tower now. I'm too drained to move right now and she may need help. Can you do this?" Beast Boy immediately responded.

"Yes. I won't let anything bad happen to her ever again." He picked up the unconscious girl and began walking away. "I'll morph into a pterodactyl when I get outside and carry her home. I'll see you when you get back." SoulBurn slumped to the ground as soon as Beast Boy had made it outside. In the dark of the cavern, Beast Boy had not noticed the blood beginning to pool at SoulBurn's feet. SoulBurn lifted up his shirt and saw a deep, bleeding gash across his chest, a result of once again using his powers too much. He pressed the shirt to his chest and managed to stand up. He needed to get back to the Tower.

He placed all his energy into one final burst and in a flash was gone from the cave. He was supposed to end up in the infirmary but due to his lack of concentration he instead ended up in his room. His lack of energy caused him to fall over upon his arrival. He felt like he was losing consciousness but a faint red glow had caught his hazy attention. It was coming from the book he had been reading right before he had gone downstairs to eat and ended up leaving with Beast Boy. The words of the next passage were burning red, almost seemingly coming off the page. SoulBurn felt the words calling to him. He pushed himself up so he could read it. The words were terrible indeed.

_The one who shall read this will know he is too late. The Earth maiden shall be freed, given a second chance to live. However ,despite the noble rebirth given to her, destruction shall reign from this act. The Earth shall be enraged at losing the daughter that returned to her. The ground shall crack and the blood of the Earth shall rise up. The Earth's scream shall block out the light. But know that this is only the beginning. The sun shall rise and set two more times on this world. It will not rise a third. The Gate will open and the armies of Hell shall claim the realm of mortals for all eternity_.

SoulBurn managed to finish reading the words but just barely. His last terrifying thoughts before finally succumbing to blood loss were 'What have I done.'

Beast Boy finally made it back to the tower and rushed Terra to the infirmary. He laid her down on one of the beds and immediately called Cyborg on his communicator. It took a few moments but eventually the picture of a very grumpy looking Cyborg appeared.

"You better have a very good reason for bothering this late at night grass stain. You know I need to recharge." He was surprised to find Beast Boy at near panic speaking almost too fast to understand.

"Cyborg….help…Terra…infirmary now ….emergency." Cyborg didn't get all of it but he understood enough to know that he was needed in the infirmary. He was out the door not a second later.

It was at about 1:30 in the morning that a slight tremor was felt through out Jump City. It was almost unnoticeable though it was enough to wake up Robin, Raven, and Starfire. They weren't really sure what they had felt but all three believed it might need investigation. Robin was ready to push the alert signal to gather all the Titans when a second tremor hit Jump City. This one was stronger and more violent causing objects to fall down from their shelves. Robin pushed the signal and ran out of his room. He ran down the hall toward the main computer. He arrived and Raven and Starfire were not far behind. No one else seemed to be showing up. Annoyed Robin tried to call Cyborg but received no answer. He tried Beast Boy and had the same result. He checked this link to find out where they were and was shocked to find them in the infirmary.

"Raven! Come with me to the infirmary now. Starfire, go check the guest room. Find out why SoulBurn isn't here. Titan's Go! Expecting no further explanation, the two girls followed their orders. Starfire zoomed toward the guest room and Raven floated after the running Robin, making sure she kept a decent distance behind him.

She felt like something was wrong and her intuition was rewarded with a burning sensation throughout her body. She let out a scream of pain which caught Robin's attention. He turned around to find Raven huddled on the floor. The burning symbols which had been placed by Slade were now clearly visible on the parts of her body that were seen. Another scream rang out from Raven as all the lights in the hallway exploded.

Robin ran up to her and tried to take her into his arms to get her to the infirmary only to find his hands burned by the heat from Raven's body. His gloves were meant to handle extreme conditions yet they burned straight through in only a second. A wave of black energy pushed Robin away from Raven. A third violent scream racked Raven's body as she had almost succeeded in rising to her knees. She collapsed back to the floor, silent and unconscious.

As soon as it had started, the episode ended. The marking disappeared and the intense heat Robin had felt was gone. However, Raven did not move. Robin ran over to her and again tried to pick her up, this time succeeding. It felt nice to hold Raven's tiny body in his arms, but he quickly banished those thoughts and began running toward the infirmary to get Raven help. All that mattered right now was his precious Raven's safety. He would not fail her now. Unknown to Robin at that moment however, was that the people of the world were just starting to feel the wrath of the planet itself. At that moment, fear and pain were not only limited to a single tower by the bay.


	16. How did it come to this?

1

Ch 16: How did it come to this?

How did it come to this one has to wonder. Beast Boy sat clutching Terra's hand in the infirmary while Cyborg ran some tests on her. Robin carried the limp body of Raven, sprinting toward the same exact place. Starfire had opened the door to the guest room to find SoulBurn in a pool of his own blood next to a book with blazing words. She too was rushing someone to get medical attention.

However, this was only a small piece of the tragedy that was unfolding across the world. What had started as a few mild earthquakes had quickly turned into a full blown global disaster. Volcanoes that had been dormant since the days of the dinosaurs began spewing burning lava from their mouths. Sulfur and dark vapor erupted with thundering explosions darkening the sky even more than the night was capable of. Massive Earthquakes tore the ground apart, collapsing even sturdiest building. Fissures formed in the ground and walls of fire emerged burning everything in their path. Small towns and cities alike were decimated instantly, people burned alive while still in their beds.

All over the world screams of terror echoed through out the nights as rivers of lava flowed down the mountain sides consuming all in its fiery path. It seemed as if the Earth was ripping itself apart and no one knew why. Yet it was simply a fact that this was only the beginning if the Gate was indeed opened. These times would seem like a blessing if the prophecy was to come true, a fact only a few knew to be to be true.

A dark cavern sat just outside Jump City in the middle of a forest seemingly undisturbed by the chaos of the world. Deep within it stood one person listening to instructions from a fiery symbol.

"It has finally begun. The sun of this planet shall rise and set two more times and then the blood moon shall shine upon this pathetic world. The time of my release has come. I shall have my revenge and all of existence shall be mine to destroy.

"Yes Master." The eery glow in the cavern only served to make Slade look less human.

"It is time that I bring my daughter to me. I am sure she felt my power increase in this realm with the release of the stone maiden and is now locked in her mind by my power. Everything is going as exactly as I knew it would. Emissary! I will make sure she is brought out into the open. Bring her to me safely along with the other one needed. Do not fail me!"

"I will not master. Everything will be ready for the final ceremony but what about SoulBurn master? Is he not needed as well?"

"If he gets in the way, hurt him but do not kill him. He will fulfill his destiny. I think it is about time you let him in on a little of where he truly stands in all of this. Now go! It is time I pay my daughter another little visit. I want to have a little more fun with her before she is captured."

Back at Titan's Tower:

Starfire flew through the hallways of the tower carrying the cold body of SoulBurn. She burst through the doors of the infirmary frantically yelling to her teammates.

"Friends! SoulBurn is in great peril. He needs medical assistance immediately. He has…" She stopped speaking when she saw both Terra and Raven laying in two beds next to each other with Beast Boy at Terra's side and Robin at Raven's. Cyborg was working feverishly around the room.

"Put him on that bed over there Star." Cyborg walked over as Starfire deposited SoulBurn on to the bed. "What's wrong with him?"

"I discovered him bleeding on the floor of his room. He was not moving. Please help him." Cyborg removed his shirt to find a deep gash across his chest. It was deep as the bone of his rips was almost visible.

"My god. What the hell happened to him? Star! Go grab me some blood from that fridge over there. I need type B+. Hurry. My scans show he needs blood right now if he's going to live." The sound of Starfire searching for the correct sample was interrupted by the sound of the alarm once again going off in the Tower. Robin reluctantly left the side of Raven and ran over to a computer nearby. He punched in a few numbers and could feel his face turn white at what he saw.

"This can not be happening. This has to be some type of mistake." The truth of it all became plainly obvious when a third violent Earthquake hit the tower.

"Something so terrible could only be the work of Trigon." Robin spoke the words to no one in particular as he saw the news coming in from all around the world. It suddenly occurred to Robin that Terra was alive in the flesh right here in the tower. There were so many questions he wanted to ask. Was there a connection between all of this to her Earth powers?

However there were more pressing matters right now. The world was going to hell, and it was the Titan's duty to go out and help the city and its people. He could feel the inner turmoil tearing him apart the same way the Earth was tearing itself apart. He did not want to leave Raven. Something had happened to her and he did not want to be absent when she awakened. He couldn't bare to leave her when she was so vulnerable. In the end his sense of duty won out as it almost always did.

"Beast Boy, Starfire. We need to go to the city. Volcanoes and Earthquakes are popping up all over the world and people are dying. We have to go try and help as many as we can in the city. Cyborg, you stay here and watch these three. I'll want an explanation from someone on exactly how Terra is here when we get back. Titan's Go!"

The three Titans immediately ran out of the room as Cyborg let out a deep sigh as he worked on patching up SoulBurn.

"I wish I had Raven's healing powers right now." It would be several hours before anyone would wake up.

Raven P.O.V:

The last thing I remembered was feeling this intense burning throughout my body. I haven't felt anything like that since Slade put those marks on me. Oh no! Has the time of the prophecy finally come? I frantically surveyed my surroundings. It looked like some type of desert. There was no feeling of life around me. No feeling of anything. How the hell did I get here?

"You know this is the very spot we all first me Raven. I bet you didn't know that." Startled by the voice I turned around to find Terra staring at me with a small smile on her face. Her blue eyes seemed darker than I remembered them.

"Terra!" The name came out more as a growl though I did not intend it too. I had mostly forgiven her for what she had done but there was still some anger there I had yet to resolve. Terra shifted and half of her face became covered by her hair. Her voice suddenly became darker.

"Been a long time witch. I'd ask you how you've been but I really don't care." I readied myself in a fighting stance just in case. I was becoming very nervous.

"You're dead Terra or at the very least you're still locked in stone. How is it that you're here right now." Terra laughed slightly.

"Oh you know. Same way Slade is. I made a deal with your Father to free myself, and all I have to do is kill the Titans and deliver you to him." I could feel my eyes turn red for a second but I quickly calmed myself.

"You will not lay a finger on any of them Terra. You will not hurt my friends again." I went to use my powers only to find that I couldn't. Again Terra only laughed at me.

"Foolish little Raven. Too stupid to realize this right here is only in your mind. In fact both you and me are side by side in beds in the infirmary right now. Every single one of your so-called friends are hovering over me being ever so thankful that I'm back. There all trying to figure out what's wrong with me so they can have their teammate back. Just like before they've pushed you aside for me. Not a single one of them cares right now about your condition…not even Robin. They always did like me more than you."

"Shut up! You're lying. None of the Titan's would ever do that to me. They all care about me. That's why they've stood by me even with the prophecy coming." Again Terra only laughed.

"They don't care about you. They've only been waiting for the opportune time to kill you in your sleep to save themselves. Even now I can hear Robin asking them all if they should do it right now." I tried to speak but I couldn't. It felt like all my energy was drifting away from me. My mind felt cloudy and my vision was becoming blurry.

"Liar." It was the only word I could get out. I knew in my heart that these were all lies though it was getting harder and harder to focus on those feelings. Hate and darkness were overcoming my senses.

"You see Raven, I was brought back to make sure you suffer. In only a few moments I'm going to wake up and tell all the Titans how sorry I am and that I'm ready to help them anyway I can. Of course you will be stuck in a state of unconsciousness by your father's power. The second they all turn their back on me, I am going to kill them all. Slaughter each and everyone of those pathetic losers. Hmm, maybe I'll keep Robin alive. I think he does deserve to see the end of the world. I mean why shouldn't he get to see you become what you really are. Think he'll still love you then. Oh don't look at me like that Raven. It was so obvious that he cared about you. You'd have to be blind not to see it" It felt like unseen forces were wrapping themselves around me. I wanted to scream and fight but I couldn't do anything. I felt so very weak.

"Robin…I'm so sorry."

"Boo-hoo. Is the poor little baby going to cry now. You should be sorry Raven. You always were weak Raven. I mean how easy would it be for you to simply wake up and stop me. You could kill me before I kill your friends. You have the power to easily break through the power that is holding you here, but your just too afraid to use it. When we last fought you only used a fraction of it and nearly defeated me. Instead I beat you and went on to almost annihilate all your friends. Are you going to let that happen again? Are you going to continue and be this damn weak!"

Once again I could feel the anger building inside of me only this time I welcomed it. I could feel the power that was binding me dissipate as I could feel my strength returning.

"I will not let you hurt them! It is time you paid for everything you've done Terra." I could feel myself fading from the scenery returning to the real world. The only thought on my mind were of revenge, destruction, and death.

The figure of Terra stood alone in the desert. Her form began growing and distorting as a dark laugh came from the previously tiny form. Once again, there stood the massive form of Trigon within Raven's mind.

"Very good my Daughter. Become what you hate once more...just like on Azarath."

After finally finishing bandaging up SoulBurn, Cyborg found himself quietly waiting for something to happen. Despite the severity of the damage, it seemed as if SoulBurn had a remarkably high recovery rate not that dissimilar to that of Raven's. The infirmary was eerily quiet despite what he knew to be going outside of these walls. People were dying and this city only had only three of its superheroes to help. He punched the wall in frustration.

"I should be out there helping. We all should be. What the hell happened to everyone?" So many questions yet no answers. Beast Boy had quickly filled him in on Terra's appearance and how SoulBurn was responsible. "This is all getting way to intense. What the hell is next?"

The question was only responded to by the increasing sound of a quiet beep of one of the machines attached to Raven.

"Finally. It looks like someone is waking up." Cyborg watched as the body of Raven levitated itself into a standing position. He took a step back when he noticed black tendrils of energy begin to come from her body.

"What the hell…" He was cut off as machines all around the room began exploding. Suddenly, Raven's eyes were open though they weren't there usually color. They were burning red. She seemed to be growing taller as the black energy around her increased. Her focus seemed to be entirely on the blonde girl in the next bed over. Her voice was distorted and dark, giving off a feeling of pure hatred.

"Time to die bitch. I won't let you hurt the Titan's again! I won't let my father win. Time to go back to hell where you belong." A blast from Cyborg's sonic cannon into the wall a few feet from her grabbed her attention.

"Raven! What are you doing? You need to calm yourself down. Terra isn't trying to hurt anyone right now. She's hasn't even been awake since she got here." A scream of fury rang out from Raven.

"You don't understand Cyborg! She's working for my father. She told me herself. She has to die before it's too late."

"Working for your father? You're not making any sense Raven. I told you she hasn't even been awake yet. And your father didn't release her SoulBurn did. Now calm down Raven."

"Shut up!" More explosions echoed through out the room. "She needs to die. Trust me Cyborg. I am your friend. She's the traitor!"

"I know you're my friend Raven and I'd do anything for you but I'm not going to sit back while you rip Terra apart. Now back away from her. Please, I don't want to have to make you." The fire in Raven's eyes seemed to dim for a second but came back only stronger.

"So you would choose her over me! I see it now. You are all against me!" Raven lashed out with her energy destroying more of the room.

"This is the last time Raven. Back down now!" Cyborg raised his sonic cannon once again but this time it was aimed directly at Raven. A look of shock and betrayal formed on Raven's angry face. Her voice quieted.

"So you would even hurt me to protect this traitor." Cyborg watched as two new burning eyes formed on Raven's face. "So be it. I will stop the prophecy myself if I have to. Even if I have to go through you."

Raven lashed out suddenly with her black energy. Cyborg tried to dodge but found tendrils wrapping around each of limps and around his body. He found himself being lifted off the ground and hurled back toward the other end of the infirmary. He crashed through some equipment before impacting hard against the wall. He rose slowly trying to shake the stars from his eye. He looked back toward Raven and saw that she had lifted Terra in front of her by the neck with one of her tendrils. A malicious grin was on Raven's face.

Apparently all the commotion had awakened Terra as her eyes were open. They were filled with terror and confusion as she stared upon the face of the demonic Raven. Wasting no time Cyborg charged forward and threw all of his considerable bulk into Raven's form. The impact sent both of them crashing into the wall as Terra was dropped hard to the ground. Before Cyborg even had time to recover from the impact Raven had slashed him across the chest drawing sparks and once again hurled him across the room landing on to the bed SoulBurn had been upon.

Fortunately, SoulBurn had not been there. He too had apparently been awoken by all the noise and upon seeing Cyborg's body coming at him had rolled onto the floor. SoulBurn managed to get onto one knee as he watched Raven ominously approach the cowering Terra.

"Raven…please stop. I'm sorry about what I did before. I'm not here to hurt anyone. Please you have to believe me." Terra could barely get the words out she was shaking so badly.

"You think I fill forget that you are here to take everything I have left from me. Do you think I don't know that you're here to hurt my friends. No Terra. There can be no forgiveness for what you were going to do. This ends here." Terra's eyes widened as a spear-like tendril shot toward her heart. Suddenly, it stopped mere inches form its intended destination. A glowing blue hand gripped the tendril from going any farther. Raven bellowed with rage.

"You! Do not interfere in this. You don't understand what a threat she is."

"Regardless if you believe she is a threat Raven, I can't allow this to continue. If you kill her now, then you will be nothing more than a cold-blooded killer. No one wants that including yourself. You are allowing your father to control you. He's trying to hurt you and your friends. Don't let him win. What would Robin say if you take Terra's life right now." The mention of Robin caused Raven to falter.

"Robin..."

"You know deep within you what you are doing is wrong. Stop now before its too late Raven. Do not give in to the darkness!" SoulBurn collapsed to his knees in exhausting at holding back Raven's attack. Fortunately Raven no longer was focused on Terra. Her four burning eyes once again became two amethyst eyes. Her form shrank back to regular size and black energy stopped emitting from her. Her eyes were filled with fear and sadness as she looked around the room. SoulBurn was breathing heavily on the ground. Terra was curled up in a ball crying quietly muttering "I'm sorry" over and over again. Cyborg was laying in a heap across the room unmoving.

"No…I'm sorry. I have to leave…I have to get out of here." Raven assumed her soul-form of a Raven and disappeared from the room. A few seconds later Cyborg finally managed to pull himself up into a standing position. He saw both SoulBurn and Terra across the room and hurried over to them.

"Is everyone okay? Where the hell did Raven go?" SoulBurn was the only one to respond.

"I think we both will be fine. I do not know where Raven went to but we must find her immediately. She's frightened and confused right now and should not be alone out there, especially with what's going on in this world."

"Yeah…wait how do you know what's happening out there?"

"Don't worry about that right now. That can be discussed later. Right now we need to find Raven. There's not a lot off…" SoulBurn fell forward with a grunt in obvious pain.

"Your not going anywhere right now man. You stay and watch Terra. I'll contact the others and start tracking Raven." SoulBurn gave a slight nod of approval and with that Cyborg left SoulBurn and Terra alone.

Slade stood in the center of an abandoned section of Jump City. A massive Earthquake had destabilized the foundations of many of the buildings so the Titans had already evacuating the area. He was flanked on both sides by Slade-bots. He simply stood there as if standing on a devastated, darkened street with hordes of murderous robots was the most natural thing in the world.

"Looks like you're a little late Raven. Please do hurry up." His cold laugh was the only sound in this damaged part of the city.


	17. Loss of What Matters Most

1Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans so lets not try and sue me since I don't have anything to sue for.

Ch 17: Loss of What Matters Most

SoulBurn P.O.V: (This is a first)

Right after Cyborg left I managed to make my way over to Terra. She was still in a state of shock after almost being killed by the demonic Raven. I placed my hand on her shoulder to comfort her and received an unexpected reaction. She flung herself at me and hugged me in a death grip crying into my bandaged chest. It took all my willpower not to scream out as she pushed against my wound. I hugged her gently back and spoke quietly to her.

"It's okay Terra. Everything will be okay. That wasn't completely Raven trying to kill you. It was mostly her father. You didn't do anything wrong." I could hear her sniffle a few times before she started speaking again.

"I…I think she was right. I do deserve to die. Something is terribly wrong in this world. I can feel it through my powers. The Earth is causing so much destruction and death and I…I think its my fault. I think I've lost control of my powers again. Why did I ever have to come back." Terra continued to cry into me but I pushed her slightly back and lifter her head so that she was looking into my eyes. Blue eyes met blue eyes.

"Terra. I need you to listen to me very carefully. Everything that is happening out there right now is not your fault. You are completely innocent of all this destruction. This…this is all my fault. Do you hear me Terra, this is all entirely my fault."

She looked at me with such sad blue eyes. She didn't respond only kept staring at me with those eyes. I thought back to the strange vision I had while I was unconscious. I had found myself completely surrounded by white. I felt like I was floating there as I felt no floor beneath me. Suddenly I heard a very faint voice. It seemed to be in a lot of pain as it spoke. I could not figure out where it was coming from as it seemed to be coming from all around me. I could barely understand what it was even saying though I managed to hear the words.

"Release of the Stone Maiden has disrupted the energy of the world. The loss of her energy will create an imbalance and the world will suffer. It will become a word perfect for His coming. The destruction will only serve to increase his presence in the world. Soon the Gate will allow Lucifer to enter into the realm of mortals permanently. A part of his body and essence lie within the daughter. His power lies within the emissary. Each of these three parts is needed to allow his entry. Salvation lies within these words."

The voice stopped and the white around me found some way to get even brighter. The next thing I knew was that Cyborg's body was coming right at me and I had to get out of the way. It was those words that told me everything was my fault. By releasing Terra I had caused some type of energy feedback into the planet that caused the disasters to occur. I believed I was giving a young girl a chance at redemption, giving her a second chance. Instead I only served to damn myself further. There was only more blood on my hands.

I tried to understand the rest of what was told to me. It seemed like maybe there was an answer to stopping Armageddon within the words, but I just couldn't figure it out. I could feel Terra hugging me again though this one was very gentle. She probably saw the broken look in my eyes. This hug was meant to comfort me rather than comfort her. I smiled at the small gesture. Maybe there was still hope for me after all. I gently picked up the thin frame of Terra and laid her in bed. She gave me a warm smile and closed her eyes as she laid against the pillow. Her battle for now was over.

Suddenly I felt a power being used that I had not felt for sometime. It was Slade. Only the power given to him by Trigon could feel like that. If Slade was using his power in such a way I could feel it then…The Titans!. I immediately forced any amount of pain from my body and stood tall. I concentrated solely on that dark power and in a flash was gone. My battle was just beginning.

Robin P.O.V

It felt like I had been running around the city for days though it had not been anywhere near that long. I had been busy directing Starfire and Beast Boy to help city workers clear rubble and I had been helping the police evacuate people and organize. Though from other reports I knew Jump City had been hit relatively light, there was still so much destruction. It was hard to fathom what the rest of the world was like. However now it seemed like things were getting quieter. I watched as Starfire landed next to me as Beast Boy ran up. Beast Boy had a look of exhaustion on his face though Starfire still smiles.

"Robin. We were successful in digging the innocent out of the collapsed building. Everyone will be alright. We have managed to save so many people have we not?" It was hard even now not to smile at her. She was such a beacon of hope even now. She wasn't even from this planet yet she still cared as much as I did for its occupants.

"Nice work Star. You too Beast Boy. I think we've done all we can for right now. I think its time to go back to the tower and check on everyone." I was about to ask Starfire for a lift when my communicator went off. Cyborg appeared on the screen.

"What do you need Cy?" Inside I was worried. He could be contacting me for any number of bad scenarios. He definitely had one of the worst.

"I've been trying to get a hold of you for like 5 minutes man. We got a major emergency right now Rob. Raven woke up but she went all demonic on Terra like she did on Dr. Light. She said Terra was going to kill us all and tried to kill her. Raven ended up whooping my butt pretty bad. SoulBurn woke up and managed to calm her down and bring her back to normal but then she ran away from the Tower. She's in the city all by herself right now. Things are definitely going to shit." I processed the information as quickly as I could.

"Where's Raven?" That was the most important question on my mind. I knew I had to play the leader role and should have asked if everyone was alright. I shouldn't have focused entirely on her, but I couldn't help it. I needed to get to her right now. If everything Cyborg had said was true, then I needed to see her right away.

"I've tracked her to about 4 blocks west of your position. I'm on my way in the T-car and should be there in about ten minutes. The streets are messed up so it will take me awhile. SoulBurn is back watching Terra and…." I cut off the communicator and started running down the street toward my destination. I didn't even say anything to Star or BeastBoy though they immediately followed me into the city. Raven please be safe.

Raven P.O.V.

As soon as I saw what I had done in the infirmary, I immediately fled the tower. I knew that the Titans would never stand by me now that I had almost hurt one of them. Cyborg could have been dead for all I knew.

I flew as far away as I could before my strength gave out due to my mental instability. I fell to the ground in the middle of the street. I could feel broken glass digging into my legs, but I didn't care. I deserved the pain. I deserved things far worse than this for what I had done to Cyborg, for what I almost have done to Terra. I so badly wanted to cry right then and there but that would have been the selfish thing to do. Releasing that kind of emotion right now would only bring more suffering to those around me.

As I flew over the city I witnessed the devastation that had been brought to the city. Buildings were collapsed all around and small fires still burned. I saw lava trails on the outskirts of the city still flowing from the ground. I wondered if all this destruction was my fault. I wonder if losing control is what had truly brought all this to the city I had swore to protect. I rose to my feet and began half running half stumbling through the streets of the city. I had no idea where I was going. I didn't even have anywhere to go anymore. I knew I had lost the Titans at the same moment I allowed myself to lose control. I wasn't even aware of where I was until I ran straight into something very hard. I looked up only to see the malicious glint of Slade's eye.

"Hello there Raven. It is so nice of you to come to me for a change and completely alone I see. This is just perfect." Being so close to him I could feel the symbols on my body burning. I managed to crawl a few feet away from him only to see Robin running down the street toward me, followed closely by Starfire and Beast Boy. I knew Robin was calling my name. It was filled with caring and concern. Maybe they hadn't turned against me. I was brought back to reality upon hearing Slade's next few words.

"Ah so I do get to have some fun tonight. I see your little boyfriend has finally arrived. Your father did tell me just how much you care for him. Really now Raven. Falling in love with your leader when you know what your destiny is. Tsk Tsk Tsk. Let's find out if he's willing to die for you."

My mind raced with his words. They knew about my feelings toward Robin. My father knew about my feelings toward Robin. Robin was in such danger. I again tried to get up only to be pushed back by a wall of flame created by Slade. I flew back only to be caught in the arms of Robin. I realized where I was and instinctively pushed myself away from him only to fall again to the ground. I could hear Slade laughing.

"Raven, Raven, Raven. I'm nice enough to put you in the arms of your love and you push him away. Now that's not very nice of you is it." I looked up at Robin hoping he didn't hear the words but I could tell by his face he did. He was looking at me with his mouth slightly open as if hoping I would tell him that what Slade said was true, that I did love him. We simply stared at each other before I broke the gaze, overwhelmed by the sheer intensity of it.

"Raven…" That was the only word he could speak as I could still feel his eyes upon me. Despite everything going on around me it felt like it was only just us two. I realized then and there that this could be my last chance to tell him. My father already knew somehow of my feelings so there was no use in trying to conceal them from him anymore. I believed I had lost all of them when I lost control but at least I would be able to tell Robin how I felt before everything I every cared for was gone. One last little attempt at a bit of happiness.

"Robin…I…" I was cut off by Slade.

"Sorry to interrupt you Raven, but I've been waiting here awhile and really have become quiet bored. You can talk to Robin when you see him in Hell."

Slade unleashed a stream of fire aimed directly at Robin. I couldn't even find the strength to get up to push him out of the way. I couldn't even put myself in the way. I watched his eyes grow wide as the fire neared him. I closed my eyes and screamed for it stop as I had done on my birthday only it did not work this time. I waited to hear the scream from the love of my life but it did not come. I opened my eyes to see the figure of SoulBurn standing there. He had appeared out of nowhere and blocked the fire with a shield of blue energy. My Robin was safe. At that moment, all I wanted to do was feel Robin's loving embrace but instead I felt cold metal slam up against the back of my head.

SoulBurn P.O.V.

As soon as I appeared on the scene I saw the attack approaching Robin. I immediately put myself in front of fit and gathered energy in front of me to block the attack. I found that I could block it though I could not absorb even the slightest bit of the energy. I could not make a connection to it. Using my powers caused me pain in that same cut on my chest as I did it but all that mattered was that Robin was saved. I could not react fast enough as I watched Slade move with incredible speed and slam a bo staff against the head of Raven. I could hear Robin cry out but once again I had to put up a shield to stop another blast of fire. By the time everything cleared Raven was no longer in front of us but in the arms of a slade-bot. Slade still stood in front of us taunting us.

"That was almost too easy. I thought you people would protect one of your own. I guess you really have abandoned her" Robin stepped forward to meet the challenge but I put an arm up to block his path.

"Robin. You and the other Titans go after Raven. I will handle Slade. I am the only one who has a chance." I could feel Robin step back reluctantly but I knew he agreed with me. I assumed a fighting stance that I instinctively knew as I stared at Slade with glowing blue eyes. "I owe you a lot Slade." I could feel the rage coming from within me building. I watched the remaining Titans disappear into the darkness following Raven's captor.

"I believe you owe me a lot less than you think SoulBurn. I am merely an emissary of a greater power. I am only helping to fulfill yours and Raven's destiny. Do not blame me for your cursed existence."

I let out a yell of rage and through a punch at Slade's face. I couldn't see it but I knew he was smirking underneath his mask. He easily caught my punch and through me over his shoulder. I balanced myself and landed on my feet. I barely touched the ground before I was attacking again. I extended a blade of energy down my right arm and teleported to right in front of Slade, jamming the blade straight through Slade's chest. I could feel it penetrate straight through his body with ease. My right arm burned with the use of the energy but I didn't care. I could tell the smell of burning flesh was not only from my body, but also from his as the energy of my blade ate away at him. I suddenly felt a tap on my shoulder and looked up at the taller Slade. I could tell he was still smirking under his mask.

"Nice try SoulBurn but let me show you how it's supposed to be done." My eyes went wide as a vicious right hand connected with my jaw. I flew back from the attack and skidded a few feet across the ground on my back.

I struggled to my feet very slowly trying to clear my head. Slade had not moved from his spot. I could hear the sound of battle down the street though I took no true notice of it for I had more pressing matters at hand. I quickly teleported behind Slade and fired a blast of energy into his back. He flew from the impact and just like I had before landed on his feet and was back on the attack. I blocked his next punch with my arm and ducked his kick.

However, I was not able to block the wave of fire he sent at me. I managed to block some of it with a shield but enough got through to push me back. I watched as Slade suddenly appeared through the flames charging me. I ducked another powerful right hand but took a quick knee to the chest. I could feel my wound reopening.

I looked up to see Slade coming down with the intentions of crushing me under his foot but I quickly fired another powerful blast of energy into his chest. This one sent him flying into the air as he landed on top of a parked car. The car immediately burst into flames, lighting up the night with an eerie glow. However, I just knew Slade was not done, would never fall so easily. I waited for his form to appear as I fought back the pain that was building in my body from my powers usage. I suddenly heard his voice behind me.

"Do not assume that you are the only one who can teleport SoulBurn." I felt a punch into my spine that sent a shock up my entire body. My legs gave out under me, and I collapsed to the ground. I felt Slade grab me by the shirt and pulled me forward. He reached down and grabbed me by the throat. I felt my entire body being slammed into the brick wall of a building impacting hard against it. I could feel the bricks give slightly from the force of the attack as Slade talked down to me as I weakly slumped to the ground.

"I don't know why you fight against Trigon. How can you truly fight a destiny that was set long before these mortals even existed on this planet. Everything you've done to help bring about His arrival was fated to happen so long ago. You never had a choice in this the same way Raven never had a choice to be the Gate. You were always meant to be the Key SoulBurn. It is your power that was needed most to bring the end" I felt Slade again grab me by the neck and slam me into the wall. I absorbed some of it with my energy, but that only caused my chest wound to hurt more. I could feel blood dripping from my chest.

"Do you even think you truly care about these mortals you are trying to save SoulBurn. Have you truly forgotten how you ended up here! What makes all this so funny, is that you and Trigon are exactly the same. A part of him lies deep within you and has since before his imprisonment. You share the same fate as him SoulBurn. You always were meant to."

My body managed to painfully cough up blood despite Slade's steely grip around my throat, the blood spitting out on to Slade's mask with the smallest bit of satisfaction. Slade pulled me forward so that we were mask to face, his one cold eye boring into me with sheer amusement in it.

"It's too bad I didn't get to meet you before you lost your memory. I think we would have gotten along…or at least you would have put up a better fight." I could feel my air supply leaving fast. I could hear my blood drip to the ground as I dangled there in the air. I tried to concentrate but Slade's words kept getting to me. None of it could possibly be true. It simply was impossible. Everything started to get black until I suddenly found myself hitting the ground as a stream of blue impacted against the side of Slade. He flew back from the impact.

"Booyah! Hey SoulBurn, I thought I told you to stay with Terra." I looked up to see Cyborg. He had finally arrived. I could hear Slade impact with the ground with a sickening thud. Cyborg helped me to my feet slowly, even though he watched Slade the whole time. When I got to my feet I saw Slade getting up as well. His right arm was bent at an impossible angle. Slade simply grabbed the right arm with his left hand and snapped the bone back into place without so much as a scream.

"It really does come in handy being half-dead." He turned to both of us. "Well I have what I came for. I do hope to see you again. You really should think about embracing your true self SoulBurn. It will make everything so much easier." In a flash of fire Slade was gone but we both had the same exact thought going through our head, "Where was Raven?"

Robin P.O.V:

Me, Starfire, and Beast Boy immediately started chasing after Raven. What appeared to be one lone robot eventually gave way to nearly one hundred of the enemies lining the street. I gritted my teeth and clenched my hands around my bo staff.

"Titan's Go." I was a whirlwind of destruction as anything in my path to Raven met its quick end. I would occasionally see a green streak of energy or hear the roar of some unseen animal but almost all my attention was focused on what lie ahead of me. The small body of Raven clutched in the enemies hands. I let out a snarl as another robot tried to get in my way. I cracked its head off with my staff and threw an explosive birdarang into a group of robots to my left. The explosion lit up the night revealing more robots in my way but not the one that had been carrying Raven.

In a fit of rage, I viciously assaulted everything I could get near. Despite them being robots, I could almost taste fear coming off them. Every swing, every kick was meant to completely destroy. It was only a matter of time until there were no more enemies to fight and the only noise was the burning of a few fires. I quietly whispered a single word to myself.

"Raven." I watched as Beast Boy arrived next to me and saw Cyborg carrying a limping SoulBurn toward us. Apparently he could not stand against Slade either. Cyborg was the first to speak.

"Where's Raven Rob?" I lowered my head in defeat. The only gesture that needed to be done to tell them what happened.

"Damn." We all stood quietly in the street until SoulBurn managed to speak a few words.

"Does anyone know where Starfire is?" We all suddenly reeled in shock in realizing Starfire was nowhere to be seen. I could feel my body shaking with fear.

"Please not her too."


	18. Truth of Pasts

1

A/N: Well here's a really long one. Lots happening in this one and the final battle is coming soon. Some good moments in here and some really bad ones too. I think even I outdid myself on being cruel to Raven this time. This was a tough chapter to write and I'm not sure exactly how I feel about it. It may be drastically changed if I feel the need to but I am pretty lazy so who knows. If everything goes as planned, I should have two more chapters up by tomorrow afternoon. Depends if I ended up with a job or not. So without further interruption here is my 5000 word insult to the English Language. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans so lets not try and sue me since I don't have anything to sue for.

Ch 18: Truth of Pasts

Beast Boy and Terra sat nervously in the infirmary watching Robin pace relentlessly back and forth. Cyborg was busy patching up SoulBurn again who had taken a beating from the combined efforts of Slade and the usage of his power. Despite his current task, Cyborg could not ignore the tense feeling in the atmosphere. It had taken his best effort to convince Robin to come back to the Tower rather than go on a rampage across the city searching for the two missing Titans. Fortunately, SoulBurn had promised Robin some answers if he was willing to come back which he did receive.

Robin now knew how Terra had come to be in the tower and exactly what the connection was between that and the terrible destruction that had occurred the world over. SoulBurn had explained the information that he had read in the book and how everything was in fact his fault. His release of Terra had somehow triggered the great tragedy that was occurring and had set the stage for the culmination of the prophecy. The titans now knew when the end would come.

All in all, Robin had taken the news better than everyone expected. Cyborg expected him to absolutely explode and attack SoulBurn on hearing everything yet Robin had restrained himself. He was still a single misstep from going ballistic, but fortunately Beast Boy was keeping his mouth shut and not saying anything stupid.

The Titans would have been surprised to know what was in fact going through the head of their leader when he heard all the news. He had been ready to blame everything on SoulBurn, blame him for the world going to shit and the capture of Raven and Starfire. He so badly wanted to bring revenge for everyone that had been hurt by SoulBurn's release of Terra but in the end he could not do it. He realized that SoulBurn had no ill intention when he brought Terra back though a terrible price was paid for his actions. Robin thought back to when he had become Red X, when he believed he was doing the right thing to stop Slade though only serving to hurt everyone around him and nearly costing Beast Boy his life.

Even to this day, he never let himself forget what he had done, continued to beat himself up for doing what he had done. He never let himself forget the look in everyone's eyes when they had all found out what he had done and those images continued to haunt him. He knew better than anyone what SoulBurn was probably doing to himself right now because of how things had turned out. He knew there was nothing he could say to SoulBurn to make him feel better or worse. SoulBurn had had the best of intentions but only served to increase the amount of innocent blood on his hands. He would forever punish himself for what had transpired, just as Robin continued to punish himself for his tragic mistakes.

Robin turned to look at SoulBurn. The look on his face was just another image that would be ingrained in Robin's mind forever. Robin remembered the broken look that SoulBurn had worn when he first spoke of all the innocent souls he had been forced to steal for Slade. This new look was a thousand times worse. It almost hurt too look at it. Why does all this tragedy seem to follow this guy around.

Robin let out a deep sigh as he stopped pacing. Approximately thirty-six hours until the final sunset mentioned in the book. A day and a half to rescue Starfire and Raven and stop the ultimate evil, the devil himself. Robin wasn't even sure where to start. He hadn't been able to find Slade before, how was he going to do it now. This was all too much. He so wished that Starfire was here. She always made everyone feel better. He so wished Raven was still here. She always helped him figure things out when he got stuck.

"Raven…" Robin quietly said the word to himself. Everyone heard it but no one said anything. It was not there place to say anything right now. Robin composed himself once again and spoke to Cyborg.

"So is SoulBurn going to be alright Cy?" Cyborg turned from SoulBurn to respond.

"Physically, I think he'll be fine. Nothing is broken and I've taken care of the smaller cuts and bruises and did my best to shut the hole in his chest so he should be fine. This guy heals remarkable fast so he should be fine in a day or so." Robin looked at SoulBurn who had looked up to meet his gaze. SoulBurn's eyes were completely empty.

"Well a day is all we really have for any of us to heal." Robin turned to Terra who was sitting quietly next to Beast Boy. "Terra…are you willing to help us in this fight?" The young blonde looked to Beast Boy then quietly answered.

"Yes Robin if you'll let me. I have a lot to make up for, especially to the Titans and I will do anything I can to stop what is coming. I will help you rescue Raven and Starfire." Though she looked meek and afraid, there was a cold determination in the blue eyes of Terra. Robin nodded his head at her response.

"Welcome home Terra." Terra's face instantly lightened as she gave the Titan leader a warm smile. Beast Boy placed an arm around her as a smile graced his face as well.

"Alright everyone listen up. Take the next few hours to relax, sleep, or whatever you want to do. If you've never done something before and want to do it, then I suggest you do it. Once the time hits 10 tonight, I want everyone to be ready in the main room. We start searching then and we don't stop until this is all over, one way or another. SoulBurn, I want you to stay in the infirmary for now and rest. The rest of you are free to do as you like for the next few hours. Please make the most of it."

Everyone took in the words of their leader. Everyone was thinking the same thing though no words were said. They all knew they could easily be dead soon along with the rest of the world. Beast Boy and Terra were the first to get up and leave. The two left quitely hand in hand. For the next few hours, the two would become one and would express to each other the love that they both felt for each other. Even if it was only for a little while, the two would find comfort within each other and feel a love that had been denied to them for so long. For just a little while, they were both normal and free, and could be together.

For the first time since they returned, SoulBurn allowed something other than pain and misery show on his face. It was only for a few seconds though Robin caught it. A small smile crept to his face when he watched Beast Boy and Terra leave together. It was that same smile Robin had seen on him when he spent time with Starfire. It was a look of contentment. The purity of the love the two felt was also felt by him. If only for a moment, the pain within SoulBurn was eased by something as beautiful as true love continuing to shine within the darkest of times.

Cyborg and Robin turned off the lights of the infirmary and walked out together leaving SoulBurn to rest. Cyborg began speaking as the two walked away.

"I think I'm going to call Bumble Bee over at Titan's East. Maybe they can help us. I don't know why but I haven't been able to get a communication to them in some time. Probably cause there just as busy as we were with all the destruction. Also, there's something I always wanted to tell her that I never had to guts too. I guess better late than never." Robin didn't respond. A silence passed between the two as they walked "She's alright Robin. Both of them are. There tough girls. They can handle themselves." Robin stopped walking at these words.

"You know I never got the chance to tell her I love her. Even after everything that happened, I never had the chance to tell her. I'm...I'm afraid I wont have the chance to ever tell her now. That thought scares me." Cyborg placed a hand on this friends shoulder.

"We'll get her back Robin and you can tell her all you want and if its any consellation, I think she already knows. I think deep down inside she knows exactly how you feel and deep down inside, she feels exactly the same way. Have faith Robin. After everything that has happened, something good is bound to happen for us." Robin gave Cyborg a small smile.

"Thanks Buddy. I needed to hear that."

"That's what I'm here for Rob. Well that and kicking butt and patching you idiots up when you get hurt." The two laughed as they started walking again.

"So your positive SoulBurn will be able to fight when the time comes."

"Like I said Rob. The guy will be physically fine but that's not what concerns me. A lot of people are dead Rob and he blames himself and the problem is there's some truth to that. Bad stuff seem to have a way of being directly tied into this guy despite him having good intentions. He'll be ready to fight, but I'm not sure what mental state he'll be in to fight. If that guy snaps and lets loose his power well we'd be hard pressed to stop him. However, I do have the feeling he's still got a role to play in all of this. I mean Slade doesn't refer to you as the Key when he's taunting you for nothing." Robin immediately stopped moving.

"What did you just say?"

"I said Slade called SoulBurn the Key when they were fighting. I barely heard him say it as I had just arrived and most of what Slade was saying was blocked out by some explosion. SoulBurn probably didn't mention it because he probably dosen't even remembered Slade saying it after the beating Slade gave him. I don't know what it means but if SoulBurn's track record tells us anything, it probably means something bad for him and the rest the world. I don't know man. For some reason, I think he's are best hope right now. Something tells me he's here for a reason and when the time finally comes, I think he'll make a difference. Something about him just gives me hope. I don't know man. Thinking about this stuff though too much will probably make my head explode. Well I'm going to go make my calls. See you later Rob."

Robin barely noticed Cyborg walking away. He was still standing there replaying this newly discovered fact in this head. He knew he had heard something about a Key before but he couldn't remember from where. His detective instincts told him this was something important. Robin thought as he walked to his room. He walked in and sat at his desk chair. He always did his best thinking there, alone and in the dark.

Two hours would pass before it finally hit him. Raven's Vision! Raven had told him about a vision she had. In it her father had told her that the Last of the Fallen was the Key to unlocking his prison. Slade had called SoulBurn the Key. What did it all mean? It had to mean…Robin's face suddenly darkened. Lucifer was the original fallen angel and SoulBurn, if all this is correct is the last of the fallen. SoulBurn was a fallen angel? Maybe there was a reason all this darkness seemed to follow SoulBurn around. Maybe it was because he wanted it to follow him. Maybe it was because he was the one creating it. SoulBurn might be more connected to Raven's Father than he was letting on.

Robin was becoming angry, a strong anger that welled deep from his very core. Thousands of treacherous and paranoid thoughts started filling his head. All the rage he had managed to suppress was beginning to seep out and cloud his better judgment. SoulBurn was the reason the world was going to hell. SoulBurn was the reason Raven wasn't with him right now. Everything was fine until he appeared. How many were dead because of him? He wasn't helping us he was slowly working to bring Trigon into this world. Any blame Robin could think of would be put on SoulBurn. Robin pulled a birdarang from his belt. He stared at the razor sharp edge of it. He was going to get some answers from SoulBurn, one way or another and if the answers weren't what he wanted to hear, SoulBurn would pay dearly.

Starfire awoke in a dark place. She found that her arms were bound together. The binding was attached to a chain that was securely attached to the ground. She attempted to use her powers to break free but found she could not. The chains withstood her strength and when she tried to gather energy the chains glowed and she found her powers useless. She surveyed the dimly lit room and found Raven close to her in a similar situation though she was still unconscious. Raven's cloak was gone and Starfire could see small cuts on her legs that were still bleeding slightly. Starfire tried to go to her but found that the shackles kept her a few feet from her friend.

She remembered she had been chasing after the robot that had been holding Raven. The battle was chaotic as robots kept appearing to fight and Robin had resumed his violent, single-minded fighting style normally associated with Slade. He was not there to give orders and she had found herself alone fighting back the hordes of robots. She had been doing well when Brother Blood suddenly appeared. She could feel him trying to take control of her of mind though she tried to resist. Having to try and maintain her control gave the robots the time to converge on her and knock her out. This is where she ended up. She watched as Raven began stirring.

"Friend Raven. Please tell me you are okay." A soft groan was heard from Raven as she adjusted to the chains binding her. She rubbed the side of her head where she had been hit by Slade.

"I'm fine Starfire. Do you know where we are?"

"No Raven I do not. I am sorry." Raven took in her surrounding and let out a deep sigh.

"No need to apologize Star. Its not your fault." Raven wrapped her hands around her body. She felt exposed without her cloak. She looked over at Starfire and tried to give her a reassuring smile but she couldn't manage to do it. She suddenly felt the marks on her body begin to burn again and she soon knew why. Slade opened a metal door on the far side of the room and entered followed closely by Brother Blood.

"Ah good you both are awake. Did you girls have a nice slumber party?" Slade's question was met by a growl from Raven.

"Shut up you bastard." Slade only laughed in response.

"Always trying to be the tough one Raven. How very foolish. You know you've lost yet you continue to fight. You really do belong with Robin. Both of you are so pathetic." Raven shot forward at Slade but was stopped by the chains that bound her. She could feel rage building within her but did not feel her darker side taking control.

"Raven Raven Raven. You will find that those chains nullify your powers just as they prevent little Starfire over there form using hers. You should feel lucky that you can truly express yourself right now without fear of your powers. A fortunate side effect for you though I'm sure I can find a way to make it unforutunate." Raven pulled back quickly. She lowered her head as she spoke.

"You have me Slade. There is no need to keep Starfire. Why is she here?" Both girls could tell that a sadistic grin had crossed Slade's face. Brother Blood was not wearing his trademark smile though.

"She is needed to help open the Gate my dear Raven. Her blood is of the purest and will help unlock one of the seals that keeps your Father imprisoned. And of course she is one of my prizes for my duty to your father. You see she will become my personal possession when your Father comes. I will be able to do what I like with her and I promise that she no longer will be pure when I am done with her." Again Raven shot forward with anger at Slade. Starfire only huddled back as far away from Slade as she could get whimpering slightly. She may have been naïve but she knew exactly what Slade was talking about.

"You will never touch her you monster. I will make sure of it." Had her powers not been blocked right now, Raven was sure her eyes would have been glowing red. Slade once again only laughed in response.

"I was told that you did not kill Terra when you had the chance. She did betray you and try to kill all your friends. What stopped you from ripping her limb from limb? I know you wanted to. Raven calmed herself and spoke.

"Yes I still harbor some resentment for what Terra did to us, but I am not a killer. I didn't kill her because I realized how wrong it was and I will not become a slave to the darkness inside of me."

"Really now Raven. You think you're not a killer. Do you not remember what you did to Malchior. Do you not remember what you did to Azarath. Do you have any idea what happened the first time you truly lost control?"

"You know nothing of my past Slade." Raven glared at the man with a look of hate that would have turned any man to ash but Slade was no longer just a man.

"Oh but I do Raven. Your father was nice enough to fill me on your past. You see you are a killer. In fact, you've killed more people than I could ever dream of killing. When the people of Azarath came for you after Azar died, you were alone and afraid. She was the only thing you had to cling to and without her you didn't know what to do. Your father came to you inside your mind and told you he could make it all better. You were foolish enough to listen to him. You've always wondered what happened to Azarath well it was You that happened to Azarath. You unleashed your full power on that planet and decimated its population."

"Shut up! It can't be true. I'm not a monster." Raven's voice almost gave out as she finished speaking.

"Oh but you are. All those lives you viciously took makes you that. However, it is what you did to your mother that truly makes you a monster." At the last comment Raven looked up at Slade. There was a look of helplessness that had almost never been seen within the dark empath. Starfire struggled violently against the chains trying to break them. Slade was hurting her friend and she needed to stop it. However, the chains held firm and Slade continued his taunting

"Did you know it was never her choice to be kept away from you. She was always told it was better for you to not be allowed to become emotionally attached to her. You never had a mother because everyone was afraid of what the effect on your powers would be because of the emotions you would have for her so she was forced away from you. Do you know what you did to her when she confronted you during your rampage." Raven's whole body shook with emotion she had never felt before so strongly. Starfire looked helplessly at her friend as tears began to fall from Raven's eyes. Starfire couldn't help it but started crying as well.

"Stop. Please stop." Starfire begged Slade but he paid no attention to her words.

"Your mother tried to stop you. She tried to reason with you. For probably the first and only time of your life, she told you she loved you to your face. And do you know what you did, you ripped her heart right from her chest. It was you Raven who destroyed Azarath. It was you who murdered your own mother. How she could of loved a monster like you I'll never know."

A piercing scream filled the room as Raven finally broke. Her sobs echoed off the wall as she curled into a ball and cried violently. Starfire tried to reach out to her but could not get close enough because of her restraints. Slade started laughing as he turned around and disappeared into the darkness. Brother Blood lingered for a moment. His face contained a look of regret and pity. The look quickly faded as he turned and left shutting the door behind him. In the end it was Starfire and Raven alone.

Starfire was forced to watch her best friend cry uncontrollably knowing there was nothing she could do or say to stop it. For the first time in her life, the normally repressed Raven had the opportunity to freely express any emotion she could, and Slade had made sure that the only emotion she could express was the deepest sadness and pain. Starfire did not know how long she sat watching Raven cry before Raven finally passed out from the strain the emotions were causing her. Starfire had no idea how many tears she had cried as well at the heart breaking sight. All she knew was that she would stay awake as long as was needed to watch over her friend and be there for her when she woke up.

"Robin…please come soon. She needs you now more than ever. Please hurry." Starfire's words were spoken only to the dark walls of the room they were in but she still prayed that Robin would hear them.

. A lone figure limped down one of the hallways of the tower. SoulBurn moved slowly toward his room. He had left the infirmary a few hours after everyone else had gone deciding he preferred to sleep in a real bed. As he moved through the dark hallways of the tower he suddenly felt another presence come out of nowhere. He found his body being slammed up against the wall as a sharp metal object was pressed up against his throat. He barely flinched at the contact by the metal.

"Hello Robin. Is there something I can help you with?" He could hear the snarl emit from Robin.

"Don't be so damn smug with me. Now I want answers and I want them now. What the hell are you?" A look of slight confusion could be seen in SoulBurn's eyes but that did not deter Robin. He slammed SoulBurn hard against the wall again causing SoulBurn to wince because of his already bruised body from the fight with Slade. "Answer me damn it!"

"I'm sorry Robin. I don't know what you want to hear." Robin let out a deep breathe and glared at the taller man in front of him as he drew a small amount of blood from SoulBurn's throat.

"Cyborg told me that Slade referred to you as the Key. Raven told me of a vision she had and in it she was told that the Last of the Fallen was the Key. Now, tell me, what the hell are you?" SoulBurn's eyes widened at the information. Robin could hear him muttering the phrase to himself as if it was giving him pain. He lowered his head and spoke quietly.

"Robin. You have to believe me when I tell you I just don't know. I don't know anything about who I really am."

"Liar!" Robin again slammed SoulBurn up against the wall. "Your working for them aren't you. You chose to do what you did. You chose to kill all those people." Robin's words were filled with malice.

"Never!" SoulBurn roared as anger could be seen on his face. "How dare you accuse me of that. I would never help those monsters. I will destroy them all!" At that moment Robin was a little afraid of the man he was supposed to be intimidating. His eyes had started glowing blue and Robin noticed a small bit of black energy outlining his body. As quickly as it came, the energy and anger disappeared from SoulBurn. His eyes once again regained their normal look

"I…I am sorry Robin but I don't know. You have to trust me." The look in SoulBurn's eyes made Robin falter slightly but he wasn't ready to stop yet.

"What did Slade tell you when you fought? I want to know exactly what he said."

"He told me that a piece of Trigon was within me since Trigon's imprisonment. He told me that I shared the same fate as Trigon. He said that I was destined to be the Key and that nothing I could do would change that." SoulBurn sounded strained as he spoke the words as if something about them effected his entire being. Robin quietly contemplated the words though he did not give SoulBurn any room to breathe.

"How is that possible? Raven said Lucifer was imprisoned millions of years ago. How could you have a piece of him inside you from back them. You can't be any older than me."

"I wish I could answer your questions Robin but I just do not know."

"I think I understand one thing though. You share the same fate as Trigon. The Key is the last of the fallen. It could only mean one thing SoulBurn. You are a fallen angel just like Lucifer. You were cast out of Heaven just like the monster we're trying to defeat."

"No, that's not possible. That can't be possible." SoulBurn's eyes had grown wide as he shook his head in disagreement.

"It makes sense SoulBurn. It all fits. You are just like Trigon." Robin wanted to kill SoulBurn right then and there until SoulBurn did something completely shocking. He started crying. Robin watched as tears started falling from the young man's eyes. Robin was confused. If he really was what he was being accused of, he would never cry. SoulBurn met Robin's gaze and started quietly speaking.

"As I told you on the roof when I spoke to you about Raven not that long ago, I am simply following my instincts in all this. My instincts compel me to feel guilt for the lives I've taken. They compel me to fight against the coming darkness by all your sides. They compel me to do all the good I can to protect all that does and ever will exist. I can't tell you for sure what I am Robin nor can I tell you what fate I am destined to have. I can't tell you how I am the Key or how I am the Last of the Fallen . All I can tell you is that ever fiber of my being tells me to continue to fight against Trigon. I will not stop until the prophecy is diverted and I will die if it means returning Raven and Starfire safely to you. Please, you have to believe me."

Robin stared up into SoulBurn's clear blue eyes. He felt himself staring directly into SoulBurn's soul and could see no lies within it. Robin lowered his head and removed the birdarang from SoulBurn's throat.

"I'm sorry SoulBurn. I…" Robin was cut off by SoulBurn.

"There is no need to apologize Robin. There will never be a need to apologize for this." Robin punched the fall in frustration.

"I should have been there to protect Raven. I should have kept on eye on Starfire when we were fighting in the streets. I failed the two best people in my life for a second time. This is all my fault, not yours." SoulBurn did not know what Robin meant by failing a second time but he could tell it meant something very deep to him. He gently placed a hand on Robin's shoulder.

"We have less than two days before the prophecy will be fulfilled. The entire world is in chaos and we've lost two very important people, but I do promise you Robin that we will find them and we will stop all of this. We will not lose this battle." Robin got the feeling that he was listening to one of the speeches he gave to the Titans to inspire them during battle and he couldn't help but smile at the slight corniness of it.

"Yeah. We have been known to do the impossible before." A quiet chuckle was shared between the two in the dark hallway. Robin was about to say something when he suddenly felt a wave of emotions slam into his mind. He fell to his knees gripping his head as it felt like it was going to explode. The emotions reminded him of the ones he had felt when he watched his parents fall and die but even these were far more painful. Pain, Sadness, Sorrow, Hopelessness. They were all streaming into his mind. He could tell SoulBurn was trying to talk to him but he could not hear the words. Another wave of emotion slammed into his mind, and he let out a scream. Mercifully, Robin blacked out a few seconds later but not before realizing that the emotions were coming from Raven.


	19. Reaching Out

1

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans so lets not try and sue me since I don't have anything to sue for.

Ch. 19: Reaching Out

Robin P.O.V:

All of my senses felt dull. I couldn't see anything, hear anything, or touch anything. I was surrounded by blinding white light everywhere. I would have panicked but I couldn't move. I was unable to focus my mind as it felt like there were hundreds of emotions running through it at once. Some were mine, some were Raven's. Suddenly a quiet voice was heard that seemed to help relax me. I could tell it was a female by the sound of it.

"Hello young warrior. I am glad to have the chance to meet you." I tried to respond but found his voice didn't work. However, I was surprised when I received an answer to the question I was about to ask.

"Who I am is not important right now. We do not have much time to speak so please listen carefully. You must find Raven and confront Slade. If the Gate is opened there is still one hope. . A part of Trigon's body and essence lie within the daughter. His power lies within the emissary. Each of these three parts is needed to allow his entry. Salvation lies within these words. Use your link to Raven to find her. The Key can help you with this. Trust in him for he is not only the Key to Trigon's freedom but also his failure." I could hear the words growing fainter as I could suddenly hear the voice of SoulBurn trying to wake me up. I barely heard the last words spoken as I found myself awake.

"Please save Raven and give her the love that I never showed her."

I found myself lying on the ground of the hallway looking up at a concerned look on SoulBurn's face. My head was pounding causing me to clutch my head.

"What just happened Robin?" I did not respond immediately but rather waited for the pain to subside a little.

"I don't know. We were talking when I suddenly felt this terrible emotional pain. It was coming from Raven. I could feel it. She was suffering so badly. Worse than anything I have ever felt before. I hurt me so badly. I must have felt it through our mental link." SoulBurn eyed me with a questioning look on his face.

"Mental link?" He seemed to be studying me carefully as his eyes flashed blue for a second. He let out a small chuckle. "I'm amazed I never saw it before though I guess I never looked for it. You do not have a mental link with Raven. You have a deeper connection than that. Your essences are connected somehow. A part of you is with her and a part of her is with you. It is small but it would explain why you are able to feel her emotions when they are strong. How did this happen?" Robin grimaced slightly at the memory.

"Long story. Lets just say Raven had to form a connection to me to try and save me from myself. Ever since then she and I have had this connection between each other. I've felt her feelings and glimpses of her dreams. When she is near I've been able to feel where she was. It was the same for her. I guess I never told anybody because it felt like I was invading Raven's privacy and felt by keeping it a secret, I was protecting her secrets." SoulBurn listened quietly to the explanation nodding every so often.

"Something strange also happened. I guess after I passed out I found myself surrounded in white. There was this strange voice too." SoulBurn's eyes widened in shock and cut me off.

"Soon the Gate will allow Lucifer to enter into the realm of mortals permanently. A part of his body and essence lie within the daughter. His power lies within the emissary. Each of these three parts is needed to allow his entry. Salvation lies within these words. Was that what you heard?" My eyes too widened his eyes I shock.

"That's almost exactly what I heard. Did you hear the woman's voice too?"

"When I heard it, it was a man's voice but yes I did hear it when I was unconscious after suffering my injury upon releasing Terra. Did you hear anything else?"

"The voice told me that you could help me find Raven through our link. Is that really a possibility?" I looked up with hopeful eyes. I could tell SoulBurn seemed to be thinking carefully.

"Yes I do believe it is. I should be able to follow the link between the two of you to Raven and Starfire's location." I shot up from the ground with renewed energy.

"Then what are we waiting for. Lets go save them." SoulBurn slowly shook is head.

"I will need to rest before I try it Robin. My body and mind are still tired from the battle. If I am going to be able to do this, I need to be completely ready for it."

"How much time are you going to need." I asked with no emotion in my voice.

"A day maybe but I can't say for sure. I am still not a hundred percent sure I can even do it though." I growled slightly. This would take us right up to the every end. It would be cutting it way to close but I couldn't think of any other options. I didn't like the fact that Raven and Starfire would be in the enemies hands that long and we would have such a short time to rescue them. Raven was already in so much pain. I again found myself punching the cold metal of the wall. It felt like I had been doing that a lot lately. I thought back to what the voice had told me. It told me to trust him.

"You have your time SoulBurn but you will go rest right now. That is an order."

"You are aware I am not a Titan Robin. You can't exactly give me orders." I smiled ever so slightly.

"Well while you are living under my roof you will follow my rules." I couldn't believe I had just said that. Wasn't Beast Boy supposed to be the one that made stupid jokes at serious moments.

"They do say the burden of leadership makes you age faster but that was just uncalled for." A laugh was shared between the two of us. "I will go to my room and rest Robin. Do not worry about that."

I watched SoulBurn walk away. I never before noticed, but he moved unnaturally quiet down the hall. I knew I could do the same thing because of my stealth training but it seemed like he did it without any effort. It was like he wasn't even really there.

I found myself alone in the hallway. I realized that after all that had just happened between me and SoulBurn, I still had not received any definite answers from him. Everything I knew was either cryptic or just didn't seem to be right. The voice told me to trust him. I was not one normally to go on blind faith but if it meant saving Raven, I would allow myself to trust him. Also, there was something in his eyes that told me that I could trust him. It was the same thing I saw in the other Titans…in Raven. Raven. I let out a deep sigh as I leaned against the wall.

What the hell happened to her to cause such pain? I could still sense the lingering emotions though they were faint. They really were frightening. If they had managed to overwhelm me I couldn't even imagine what they did to the normally repressed Raven. I managed to block out the worst-case scenarios that would have only served to disrupt any chance at rational thought. Still I knew sleep would not come to me until I knew what happened to her and had her back safely by my side. I thought back to what I had told the Titans, about this possibly being our last moments and that we should enjoy them to their fullest. The only things I could think of wanting to do all involved Raven.

Rather than think of the depressing things I could have thought of, I rather thought of all the good moments I had shared with Raven in the past. No matter how minute, I allowed the warmth feelings that she made me feel to flood my mind. I also thought about what I would do for her if I ever got her to go on a date with me. The thoughts made me smile thinking of how nervous both me and Raven would be if I ever took her out to dinner. As I did this, a small part of me prayed that these emotions were somehow reaching Raven wherever she was. If her bad ones could get to me, I hoped my good ones could get to her. I guess right now, hope was the only think worth feeling other than Raven's gentle touch.

Starfire watched Raven's unmoving form as she sat in their cell. It scared her how much Raven looked like a corpse at that moment. Her skin was not the glowing pale it usually was but a dull ashen gray. Dried blood covered her legs and had now turned black. Her face showed no expression as she lay unconscious. It was not the emotionless expression that Starfire had become used to but rather one of utter lifelessness. Starfire knew that in a way, Raven was dying, giving up the will to live but Starfire knew that she would not let Raven give up. She would not let Raven leave them all like this.

Starfire was suddenly startled by a sudden reaction by Raven. She had not moved nor did she speak. Instead she did the last thing Starfire expected her to do. She smiled. It was not a half smile or the sarcastic smile that Raven loved to wear. It was a smile of perfect happiness that Starfire knew graced her face constantly. The smile faded quickly as it had arrived and the lifeless face returned to Raven's face. I

t would be much longer before Raven would finally awake and give Starfire an answer as to what made her smile. They would end up discussing a lot before the end came. However, Starfire already knew what made the dark girl smile. She sat quietly in her chains with a smile that managed to push back the darkness surrounding her. She knew Robin had heard her prayers. She knew Robin had found a way to reach Raven in her misery. She said a quiet thank you and resumed her watch over her dear friend.


	20. Finding Solace in Each Other

1

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans so lets not try and sue me since I don't have anything to sue for.

Ch 20: Finding Solace in Each Other

Raven found herself waking up on the cold, hard floor. Her whole body was stiff from the position she had been in but she paid almost no notice to that fact. The truth that she had learned started eating away at her again. Dark thoughts had not left her while she was unconsciousness though they had lessened. She still did not remember what she had done but she knew it to be true. She had always spent so much time and effort to prevent her Father from taking control, from preventing herself from becoming what she hated and feared.

However, in the end, she already was all those terrible things; far worse than even she could have imagined. She had destroyed her home and all its people, including her own mother. Raven could feel the tears beginning to fall again as the ache in her chest returned. She couldn't stop the emotions no matter how hard she tried. It hurt so much. Her mother had loved her and all Raven did was destroy her. Raven screamed loudly as she put her head in her hands.

"I'm so sorry mother. I'm so very sorry. You should have killed me when you had the chance." Raven felt like her insides ripping apart. If this was what emotions truly were, she didn't want them. She heard a gently calling of her name as she cried. The voice made her feel a little better and she knew it could only belong to one person.

"Starfire…." Raven looked up into the bright green eyes of her alien friend. Starfire was staring intently at her with her hands folded in front of her. A small smile graced the alien's beautiful features.

"I am glad to see you awake. I was worried."

"I would be worried too if I was trapped in a room with something like me." Raven watched as the smile on Starfire's face immediately fell.

"Do not say such things about yourself friend Raven. They are not true." Raven lost her temper and starting screaming at the girl.

"You heard what Slade said Starfire and you know what, there true. I don't know how but I know there true. I killed all those people. I destroyed that planet. I killed my own mother." Starfire watched as the anger gave way to more tears.

"Don't you understand Starfire! I killed the only person in the world who ever loved me. I killed my mother because she tried to stop me from giving in to the darkness within me when I first lost control. I…." The rest of her words were drowned out by her sobbing.

"She is not the only one to love you Raven. The Titans love you. Robin loves you." Again anger took control of Raven.

"Shut up! Do you not understand what I just said? Can you not get it through your stupid air-head? I am a monster, a killer. I am the reason an entire world is gone and now I am going to be the reason that the entire universe will fall into darkness. You shouldn't love me you should hate me. You should want to rip those chains off and end my cursed existence."

Raven seethed with anger. The chains binding her glowed with energy, containing her power that wanted to tear apart her surroundings. Raven glared at Starfire who only looked upon her with soft eyes.

"Don't look at me like that Starfire. I don't deserve it. Why can't you just hate me like everyone else in this universe?"

"I know you think I am stupid and naïve Raven, but I do know some things. I know that whatever you did is not your fault. I know you well enough that you would never voluntarily hurt anyone. It is and always will be your Father's fault. He is the one who preyed on a scared and frightened little girl when you were all alone on Azarath. It is he who whispers dark things to you when all you want is to be at peace. It was he who took your mother from you.

I know the real Raven. The one who goes to the mall of shopping with me. The one who sits quietly during movie night and smiles when she thinks no one else is looking. The one who has time and time again given everything of herself to fight against villains who would threaten the innocent. What Slade said, what you did, that is not Raven, and it never will be. That is your Father and by X'Hal I will not rest until you understand that!" Raven looked down at the floor the entire time Starfire spoke. Her hair helped conceal her expression from Starfire. Raven was surprised by the alien girls outburst.

"You just don't understand Starfire. Someone as good and as pure could never understand. You're not evil like me."

"Enough!" The sound of Starfire screaming echoed around the room. "I will not sit here while my best friend berates herself. My friend who is Raven is not evil. An evil person would not smile as you did while you were asleep only a few hours ago. An evil person would not make me want to die to protect her. An evil person would not have captured the heart of someone as wonderful as Robin."

Raven instantly met her friend's eyes expecting some time of anger or sadness at speaking the last comment but only met a strong glare of determination. Raven thought back to those feelings that had managed to fight there way into her mind while she had laid in that cell as the dark thoughts swirled within her mind. They were warm and happy. She had had visions of Robin's smiling face and his gentle embrace. She had seen scenes of them holding hands and kissing gently in the moonlight. Raven couldn't help it but she could feel a blush forming on her face. Starfire spoke again but this time softer and lighter.

"An evil person would not blush as you do this moment thinking of her true love." Raven wanted to argue and scream but the warm feeling within her would not leave. She could feel it easing her mind, body, and soul. She could feel it battling against the sadness and darkness within her at the same time. Raven again focused on the alien girl in front of her. Her eyes held a hopeful look as they gazed upon Raven.

"Starfire…I…I am sorry for calling you a stupid air-head. I really don't think you're stupid." A smile crossed Starfire's face.

"There is no need to apologize friend Raven. You were just blowing some hot vapor off." Raven couldn't but smile at girl in front of her.

"That's blowing off some steam Starfire, and there still is no excuse. I just don't deserve a friend like you Starfire, you know that."

"If anyone in this entire universe deserved me as a friend Raven, it is indeed you. And if anyone in this universe deserves Robin, I am glad it is you." The room got very quiet for a few seconds. Raven wasn't sure how to respond.

"Star, I'm…" However, she was cut off by a smiling Starfire.

"Do not worry friend Raven. I have made peace with this. If I can not be with Robin then I am glad it is my best friend in the whole universe who will receive such joy."

Raven smiled at the warm feelings she could feel radiating off of Star. Her empathic abilities might be blocked by these chains, but she could still feel the love coming from the purest heart she had ever known.

"I am just glad that he is not with someone like that blonde monster Kitten. She was truly evil." Raven couldn't help but laugh out loud at Starfire's words. Only a person like Starfire could think Kitten evil but have so much love for Raven. Raven remembered the instance with Kitten and Robin and remembered just how angry she had been as well with that whole situation. She had wanted to banish Kitten to some far off dimension. It was one of the first times that Raven realized that she might have feelings for her leader.

"Yeah. She was quite the bitch wasn't she?" Starfire looked at Raven with a confused expression.

"I do not remember her being a female dog. Was she not named after your adorable baby cats?" Raven only continued to smile at Starfire.

"Starfire, sometimes I'm glad some things just will never change."

"I am glad some things don't change either friend Raven because that means that we will never be apart and will always be friends."

"Starfire, I can promise you one thing. No matter what, I will always love you dearly and I will always be your friend. I will always be all the Titans friends. Not even my Father will be able to change that."

Had they been able to, they would have been hugging but that was not possible at the moment so instead they simply sat enjoying each others company. However, like all good moments as of late, this one would end sooner than it should have. A hiss was heard and both immediately noticed gas coming into the room from a vent on the sealing. Both tried to fight it but could feel themselves losing consciousness. Raven could hear Slade's voice taunting her right before she passed out.

"It is almost time Raven. Your friends should be arriving soon with the final piece of the puzzle and we must be prepared. Nighty-night."

Robin sat at a table with Terra, Beast Boy, and Cyborg. He wasn't really sure how he had ended up here but he could feel the tension at the table. He eyed each of the three people around him. Beast Boy was smiling nervously. Terra had a look of intense concentration on her face. Cyborg's face was completely blank. Robin let out a breath he had been holding in. The room had become completely quiet.

"What are you going to do Robin? What are you going to do?" Robin glared over at his half-machine friend.

"Don't worry Cyborg, I'm in." A big smile crossed Cyborgs's face.

"That's exactly what I wanted to hear Boy Wonder. Read um and weep. Full House Kings over tens." Terra and Beast Boy threw down their cards both choosing rather colorful words to describe their disappointment. All the while Robin simply smiled.

"That's a good hand Cy, but no where near good enough to beat four Aces." Cyborg stared in disbelief as Robin put down the cards.

"Why you little spiky hair freak. Fine take my money. But you'll be buying the pizza tomorrow." Everyone got really quiet at Cyborg's comment. As soon as the words left his mouth he knew what he had done. "Sorry guys." Robin looked at each of the down faces of his teammates. He couldn't help but feel the most sad for Terra. She had just found her way back to the living to only face an almost certain death. Robin looked out the window and watched as the sun got closer to the horizon. It seemed like time was making sure to move as fast as it could toward its end.

When the Titans had finally come to the meeting he set up last night, he had told the plan of how they would use SoulBurn and the link he had to Raven to find her. Everyone was a little shocked at finding out about the link but seemed excited about the plan. Robin immediately had dismissed everyone and told them to get ready because when SoulBurn was ready, the time would come.

Robin had felt it necessary to talk to each of them personally before the time came and he had done just that the following day. He had somehow managed to find both Terra and Beast Boy apart so he could talk to each individually. They had been almost inseparable since she had returned and Robin couldn't blame Beast Boy. He would have been the same way had he not seen Raven in a year.

He had talked to Terra only briefly, not really knowing what to say to her. Both of them had a quiet understanding between each other because of their experiences with Slade and it really only took a few nods and gestures between the two to convey there feelings about what was to come.

Talking with Beast Boy had gotten a little awkward when Robin deciding to do the leader thing and bring up the fact that Beast Boy should make sure to be safe and use protection if he and Terra were…well ya know. It was ironic that Robin was the one who felt like the immature one as he blushed while trying to talk while Beast Boy managed to hold a straight face. Beast Boy had assured Robin everything was okay and that he had nothing to worry about. The moment quickly became serious as they started talking about what was to come. Robin had never seen Beast Boy so determined and strong. Beast Boy would be ready, that Robin knew.

Cyborg was the last one Robin went to talk to. He found Cyborg working quietly in the garage on the T-car. Robin never realized it but he was probably the only Titan who never helped Cyborg work on the car. Sure they both talked while Robin worked on his bike and Cyborg on his car but never once did Robin actually personally work on the T-car. In the end, Robin volunteered to help Cy and he and Cyborg worked together on it as if everything was the way it should be. Eventually, the topic turned to what they both had been avoiding. Cyborg was the one who brought it up first.

"Ya know Rob. I know you wanted to talk about it so go ahead." Robin had been shocked that Cyborg had brought it up so abruptly and had hit his ahead under the T-car. He got out from underneath it holding his head looking at a smiling Cyborg.

"Its not that I want to talk about it Cyborg its just that it needs to be talked about. I need to know that you're ready for this."

"Ya know Rob, I don't think I'll ever be ready for something like this. I don't think anyone could be. The truth is there's no choice. The second we found out about this whole mess from Raven, there never was a choice. Hell, we were all in one hundred percent the second Slade came back for Raven on her birthday. I'm not going to be ready for this Robin, but I have no doubt that we will all fight until we can't fight anymore." Robin smiled at his friend.

"Cyborg, you have the strongest spirit of any man I've ever met, you know that. You are the rock of this team. Without you we would never have a chance." Cyborg smiled back.

"Hell if I don't know that. Oh one more thing Rob. Check this out." Cyborg walked over to a bench and held up something. It was now the same colors as Cyborg's metal body though Robin instantly recognized it and knew it used to be gold.

"Is that what I think it is?"

"Damn straight it is. A little gift from Brother Blood all the way back. The Ion Amplifier that I used to blow up his first little base. This baby is coming into battle with me"

"Cy, I thought you said if you used that too much it would overload your power core."

"I did say that and that's still true but man this is it. Either we win or we're all dead anyways. If I have to risk my life to maybe do something that could turn the tables, then I'll gladly do it. That bastard Slade has got the two closest things I've ever had to sisters in his clutches and that Trigon bastard's got the guts to threaten my universe. If he wants to play rough, then I'll just show him what a real man can do." The two men started laughing together as they slapped hands.

Robin came back to the reality around him. Robin somehow had gotten pulled into a card game with them all which he dominated in. It was nice to spend the time with all of them though they all knew something was missing. A red-haired girl smiling bright for everyone and a purpled-hair girl who most assuredly would have been making fun of Beast Boy. The time had passed and it was getting closer to night. Robin was about to go tell SoulBurn that they needed to start now but SoulBurn had walked into the room as Robin was getting up. The mysterious young man was no longer limping and seemed not to be in any pain. The bandages on his right arm were gone and there was no sign of the burnt flesh that had been there. He only spoke a few words as he entered.

"It's time. Please meet me on the roof with everything you'll need. It's time to end this." Everyone nodded in agreement and got up from their spots. Everyone quietly got on the elevator and rode to the roof. No words were said as everyone prepared themselves. SoulBurn was the last to get off the elevator. Everyone turned to him for instructions.

"I need Terra, Beast Boy, and Cyborg to stand around me and Robin. Make sure your close. Robin I need you to face me and concentrate on Raven as hard as you can. Concentrate on the connection you feel to her. I will do the rest."

Everyone assumed their spots and watched as SoulBurn seemed to get into some type of meditative state. Blue energy outlined his body as he closed his eyes. Robin could feel the energy as it mingled with his own. He stood on the roof, watching the last sunset this world could ever see, barely visible with all the blackness in the air because of the volcano eruptions. It was a miracle it was seen at all. The colors managed to push through the blackness creating a truly spectacular sight and at that moment Robin was thinking of nothing but Raven and how the sunset was nowhere near as beautiful as she was.

SoulBurn had attached his consciousness to the link between Robin and Raven and was following it out. It took all his concentration to remain on it as it was only a small path in the vast energy of everything in this Universe. He could see energy and connections between so many different things yet he forced himself to stay on the one chosen path. After a few minutes he could feel himself slightly outside the limits of a forest. He was getting close. He could see the link connect with a second being. It was Raven. He could also see another energy burning bright white nearby. It could only be Starfire. Also nearby he saw a black void of nothingness. It could only be Slade. He tried to get close as he could when he suddenly slammed into some type of barrier. He tried to force through it but was unable to. The distance was too far for him to do it. He knew he had gotten as close as he could.

The Titans watched as blue energy began expanding off SoulBurn. They wanted to back away from it but managed to not move. When the energy hit them it felt warm and relaxing. Each of them felt wonderful in their own way. As the energy finally engulfed the three surrounding Robin and SoulBurn, there was a flash of light and the roof of Titan's Tower was empty. The sun finally disappeared below the horizon leaving the world in darkness possibly for the last time.


	21. A Moment in the Moonlight

1

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans so lets not try and sue me since I don't have anything to sue for.

Ch 21: A Moment in the Moonlight

Raven again awoke on hard material though it seemed to have a strange warmth. Also, this time she could feel chains on her arms on her legs holding her down. An unearthly blue light seemed to emit from under her. She tested the bindings and found that they allowed her very little movement and her powers still did not work. She turned her head to the right and managed to catch a glimpse of Starfire. She was a few feet away chained to a stone column. Her hands were chained above her head. She too seemed to be just waking up.

"Starfire. Are you okay." The Tamaranian princess shook her head as if trying to clear it.

"I believe I am fine Raven. How are you?" Raven immediately answered with her usual I'm fine and asked Star to do something.

"Starfire, tell me what you see around us. I can't get a good look because of how I'm being held down." Starfire proceeded to survey the surroundings and a scared look crossed her face.

"We are surrounded on all sides by some type of black wall.. It is hard to tell because there is very little light. It looks like nighttime. There are many small fires providing light around us. There also seems to be a small cave opening nearby." Starfire looked around again taking in more information. "There are Slade-bots all around us. I do not see Slade or the Brother Blood. You seem to be chained to some type of stone alter. It has strange marks on it and is glowing a blue similar to that of the one emitted by SoulBurn when he fights. Raven took in the information and knew the time had come. It was time for the prophecy to be fulfilled.

"What do we do Raven. I do not want to be here."

"I'm scared to Starfire but I don't think there's anything we can do. We just have to wait and hope that the Titans come for us."

Raven laid there contemplating everything that was going on. If this was truly the end, then Raven knew that all the things necessary to break the 5 seals had to be there. All the people involved had to be present. She was hoping she could figure it all out and maybe could convey that knowledge to the Titans if they arrived to help. Blood of purity and darkness alike. The flame of Hell and the Rage of the Light would break 4 of the seals.

The souls that had been taken by SoulBurn when he was controlled by Brother Blood would be sacrificed to break the fifth. Slade had already told her Starfire's pure soul would unlock another and Slade definitely contained the Flame of Hell. That was three. Raven had deduced that the blood of darkness would be somehow involved with Brother Blood. He had to have more reason for being around here and that was the only thing she could thing of that made sense. She knew exactly what reason she was here for.

That left only one factor, Rage of the Light. It was the one factor Raven had yet to figure out. She also thought back to the vision she had so long ago. In it her Father told her the Last of the Fallen was the Key. She knew, just knew these two were connected.

Raven had realized that all the seals seemed to have a particular meaning to them and Raven did her best to think back to her teachings from years ago on Azarath. She remembered very specifically learning about the three different aspects of mortal beings: purity, darkness, and the immortal souls. All three were present. One seal also represented Hell and its terrible power.. That left one aspect of all reality not represented. Heaven.

Both the Rage of the Light and the Last of the Fallen seemed to be tied into this but both seemed to be contradictory. All those who were fallen from heaven were locked away in Hell with Lucifer and stripped of their heavenly powers. It was impossible that one would have the energy of heaven to provide to break the last seal. It was also impossible that a heavenly being would voluntarily unleash Lucifer from his prison. That would be just as dangerous to Heaven as it would be for the mortal realms. It just didn't make sense.

However, Raven knew something that did. She did not want to believe it because it meant that another person whom she thought she could trust might be the one to betray her and this world. She thought back to the nice things he had said to make her feel better, telling her see was innocent in all this. If what she thought was true, then those were probably just more lies.

It had to be SoulBurn. He was the only one it could be. He had to be the one to unlock the final seal. He would provide the power of Heaven to unlock the most important seal on the Gate.

There were just so many questions that didn't have answers. Was he really a fallen angel? Was he really evil and if he was how did he come to be in this place with the powers he wielded?

SoulBurn just did not seem to be the answer to this question, did not fit the person that Raven had met because she knew...knew he was not evil.. Raven would have sensed it if he was of malevolent purpose.. He had done nothing without being controlled that ever hurt an innocent. He even helped try and figure out the prophecy. Something was definitely wrong with all of this and Raven had no idea what it was. She was pulled from her thoughts by the familiar burning sensation of the marks on her body. Slade was here. She watched as Slade walked up followed by Brother Blood, Slade with a ceremonially looking dagger in his hand.

"Ah good. You two are awake then. The festivities were almost ready to start and I didn't want you to miss a second of it. Your friends should be arriving any moment now so its time to get prepared." Slade handed the dagger to Brother Blood. He used the dagger to cut himself across the cheek coating the blade in blood. He handed it back to Slade who charged the blade with the power given to him by Trigon. It now glowed with an inner fire.

"That will help break two of the seals. Now only two more to go. I'll have to wait on those though. Have to wait for the right moment to achieve that goal." Raven growled.

"Would you please shut up Slade. No one wants to hear you speak." Slade glared down at Raven through his one eye.

"Why must you be so hostile Raven. You might want to try and be cheerful for once in your life. You have such little left of it so try and be happy." Again Raven growled but she quickly calmed herself.

"Slade. Answer me one question. Is SoulBurn the Key? Is he really the one who will help open the Gate?" Slade laughed.

"Well aren't you the clever girl though it did take you till the very end to figure that out. SoulBurn was needed to fulfill so many tasks to help open the Gate. So far he hasn't disappointed though he did have no intention of helping. He will provide the energy we need to break one of the seals and then he will suffer for eternity just like the rest of this pathetic world. It would have done the Titans well to have killed you or SoulBurn when they had the chance. However, because of their weakness, Armageddon will come.

"Not wishing to take a life is not a weakness Slade. It is a strength." Everyone was surprised by Starfire's sudden outburst. "The Titans will still stop you Slade. My friends will bring your evil to an end." Slade walked over to the alien princess and stared her directly in the eye. He held the dagger close to her throat and hissed at her.

"You are all weak Starfire. You will watch your friends die. You will watch this universe die. I will make sure you are alive to see it all, and then you will see just how truly weak you are." Starfire glared daggers back at Slade though she was really scared on the inside. Slade slowly walked away from Starfire back toward the altar.

"I sense their arrival. Go meet our guests at the door Blood. Don't try and escape when you think no ones looking. Trigon does not react to treachery well. In fact, he can carry a grudge for a very, very long time." Brother Blood walked away from the altar expressionless as Slade cackled evilly.

The Titans all felt themselves come out of the teleportation. It was a strange feeling even still though Raven had teleported them enough times. It was just strange being moved such long distances so quickly. The Titans found themselves in complete darkness. Cyborg turned on his shoulder light revealing a canopy of trees above them. However, they were quick to notice that the light did not penetrate the darkness directly in front of them. It seemed like there was a wall of darkness blocking them. Robin approached it cautiously and extended his hand toward it. He found that it was solid and cold to the touch.

"Any idea what the hell this is SoulBurn?" SoulBurn nodded his head.

"It is a barrier of evil that I felt when I reached out to find Raven. I could not get through it from the distance I was at. I believe I can now."

Robin nodded his head in approval. SoulBurn approached the wall and a faint blue light formed around his left hand. He placed it near the wall and everyone was amazed to watch the darkness move away from his hand. The energy around his hand increased and the so did the gap in the wall of darkness. Soon there was a gap large enough for everyone to walk through. Robin could see a few beads of sweat forming on SoulBurn's forehead so he hurried everyone through the barrier. SoulBurn was the last one through.

The sight on the other side was almost surreal. The only light sources were from small fires that were lit everywhere. An army of Slade-bots stood in front of them as if expecting their arrival. Brother Blood stood in the middle of the army with his arms crossed. Behind the robots a glowing blue altar could be seen. Chained to it with glowing orange symbols covering her body was Raven. Near her chained to a pillar was Starfire. Her eyes widened at our arrival. Finally, there was Slade. He stood next behind the altar. As usual, no one could see it but knew he had a malicious grin on his face under his mask. Robin could see Terra visibly shaking upon hearing Slade's voice.

"Welcome Titans. I'm glad you are on time for the end of the world. And Terra, it is so nice to see you again. I haven't seen you since you knocked me into burning lava. I will make sure I pay you back for that." Beast Boy could be heard growling at that comment. It was deep, dark growl that echoed in the night. "I see you've found yourself a little protector Terra or maybe your just whoring yourself out to him and this is how he's paying you back." Beast Boy roared and shot forward but Robin stepped in front of him blocking his path.

"Not yet Beast Boy." Beast Boy reluctantly took a step back and returned to his spot next to Terra. You could see her mouth a quiet Thank you to Beast Boy.

"It also good to see you again SoulBurn. I mean we wouldn't even be here right now had it not been for your assistance. Are you sure you haven't come to your senses yet and realized who you should really be fighting for. I mean one fallen angel really should be fighting on the side of the rest of his brethren."

Each of the Titans looked at the mysterious young man who stood with them. Starfire's eyes had widened significantly on hearing the words. The only two who did not show a look of shock were Robin and Raven. Slade had only confirmed what they both believed to be the truth. Beast Boy, Terra, and Cyborg all took a step back from SoulBurn not sure how to react to this information. SoulBurn was the one to speak.

"Talk all you want Slade. It will not matter. The prophecy will be stopped and you will go to Hell where you belong. I know in my heart I am not evil and I will prove that here today." Slade only laughed in response.

"You will try but one can not fight their destiny, especially not for one who has been destined to help bring about Armageddon for eons beyond comprehension for us mere mortals. You are and always will be fallen SoulBurn. Now come and help bring the end of the world." SoulBurn did not take the bait but rather looked toward Robin.

"I await your orders Robin. Let us save the universe." Robin gave him and nod and looked back at the other Titans.

"Terra I want you to attack the robots on the left. Beast Boy, you take the ones on the right." Both nodded with looks of determination in their eyes. "Cyborg I want you to go after Brother Blood." Cyborg smiled and clenched his fists.

"It will be my pleasure Rob." Robin finally turned toward SoulBurn.

"SoulBurn. Me and you are going straight toward the altar. I'm going to try and free Raven. I believe if she isn't on that altar, the prophecy can't occur. I want you to keep Slade away from that altar if you can but your number one priority will be Starfire's safety. If you see the opportunity to free her, do it. We will need her help in this battle. Everyone understand?" Everyone nodded in agreement.

"Everyone be careful and know that I am proud to call you all my family." There was a brief smile between all the Titans. "Alright. Everyone knows the drill. Titan's go!" With that final yell the battle for the universe had begun.

Beast Boy immediately morphed into a velociraptor and charged toward the enemy. Terra's hands glowed yellow as she ripped up the ground in front of her decimating the first line of robots. Cyborg, Robin, and SoulBurn all charged forward straight into the heart of the battle. Cyborg and Brother Blood met in the middle meeting fist to fist forcing each other back. Brother Blood began his taunting.

"Do you really think you can take me Cyborg. You beat me once by pure luck. You have to know that will never happen again." Cyborg only smiled.

"This time will be completely different Blood. I am going to make you pay for everything you've done to me and my friends. I am not going to let you destroy this world."

"We shall see Cyborg. We shall see." Both charged forward again as Cyborg's sonic cannon met Brother Blood's wave of red energy.

Meanwhile, Robin and SoulBurn were a blur mowing through the ranks of robots. Robin was using his bo staff and swift movements to decimate anyone who tried to get in his way. He needed to get to Raven.

SoulBurn had extended blades of blue energy down both his arms and was viciously slicing off limbs and heads of any robot who dared oppose him. His movements were quick yet effective, and Robin was surprised by the ease at which SoulBurn destroyed his opponents. Robin did not remember him being so skilled when they had tested him. The thought was soon forgotten as Robin again engaged the masses of robots that stood in his way.

It was not long before Robin found himself nearing the altar. It seemed as if most the robots had converged on the other three Titans behind him. With one last kick he found himself looking on the beautiful face of Raven.

"Don't worry Raven. I'm going to get you out of here." Robin pulled out a sharp birdarang to cut the chains. Raven started frantically speaking

"No Robin. Its SoulBurn. They need his energy to break the last seal. We have too…" She was cut off by a scream from Robin as his birdirang made contact with one of the chains. Dark energy started flowing into his body causing him immense pain.

"Robin!" Raven let out a cry as she watched Robin shoot back from the massive wave of energy. Robin landed a few feet back on his back. Smoke rose from his body as he laid motionless on the ground. Raven let out another cry as tears started forming in her eyes.

"Robin please be all right."

SoulBurn watched Robin fly back from the altar but he maintained his course toward Starfire. She needed to be freed. Slade seemed to have disappeared from the fight but SoulBurn could still feel him somewhere around. Starfire stood about 10 feet in front of him with pleading eyes when in a flash of fire appeared next to her. It was Slade. He held a large dagger to her throat that glowed with demonic power.

"Easy there SoulBurn. You wouldn't want me to hurt poor little Starfire." SoulBurn growled but retracted his blades as Slade pressed the blade harder against Starfire's throat causing her with whimper. SoulBurn again growled with anger.

"I warn you Slade. If you hurt her I will make Hell seem like a vacation. Be a man and fight me." SoulBurn gritted his teeth as Slade cut down the side of Starfire's face drawing blood in a thin line. Tears began forming in her eyes.

"Oh don't worry SoulBurn. I'm not going to hurt her bad enough to kill her. I still have certain uses for her." Slade continued to draw the knife down her body to her shoulder and stopped. Rage began building up within SoulBurn. He could feel it fueling the energy within him.

"You see SoulBurn, Starfire is my reward for helping Trigon enter into this realm. She will be mine." Starfire watched in shock as SoulBurn's eyes turned black and blue. Dark black energy began mixing with the normal pale blue energy of SoulBurn, swirling around his body. Starfire was almost positive she saw a little red enter SoulBurn's eyes. Slade grinned under his mask. He pressed the blade against Starfire's lower region. She again whimpered as tears began falling from her eyes.

"And I'm sure you can imagine all the fun I can have with something as pure and beautiful as her." SoulBurn finally snapped. Light and dark energy began forming in his hand as he let out a roar. Slade stepped back from Starfire with a satisfied grin holding the dagger in front of him. Starfire watched as SoulBurn's voice became distorted and evil sounding.

"I will not allow you to destroy purity and hope Slade. I hate you and now you will die!" A massive beam of blue and black energy left SoulBurn's hand heading directly for Slade.

"Finally, the power of heaven distorted by the vilest of emotions, Rage and Hatred."

Slade braced himself and held the dagger in front of his body. The energy impacted with the dagger forcing Slade back. He could feel his body burning from the energy but held his ground. When the energy had cleared, Slade stood tall with the dagger clutched in his hand. It now coated with the necessary blood. It now flowed with the necessary energy.

Slade wasted no time and unleased a wave of fire at SoulBurn who was still recovering from his vicious attack. It slammed into him sending him flying. Slade walked triumphantly over to Raven who remained helplessly bound to the altar. Raven looked up at Slade with terror in her eyes as he raised the dagger. Robin had finally gotten to his feet only to watch as Slade brought the dagger down. He let out a terrible scream.

Cyborg had been fighting Brother Blood hard but he could tell he was losing ground. Interference by robots had forced him to use his amplified sonic cannon more than he liked and he could feel the effect it was having on his body. Brother Blood, ever the opportunist, took every chance he had to deliver damage to Cyborg while he was distracted. It was all taking its toll on Cyborg.

Beast Boy who was clawing robots apart as a massive bear watched as Cyborg was knocked back by Brother Blood. He also could see Terra was beginning to be overwhelmed by more robots than even should have been attacking her. Beast Boy knew he only had one choice. He let loose the beast within. Beast Boy could feel his body transforming into the creature that was his true ultimate form. It combined strength, speed, and reflexes that no other natural animal could.

He let out a roar and shot forward with a burst just as Brother Blood was about to deliver a vicious punch to Cyborg's human face. Cyborg was shocked to find the punch never hit as Beast Boy in his beast form slammed into Brother Blood. Cyborg watched as Beast Boy crunched down with is teeth tearing easily threw Brother Blood's robotic arm. Brother Blood countered with a blast of red energy that pushed Beast Boy back. Knowing this could be his one opportunity to end this, Cyborg channeled most of his remaining energy into his cannon and fired at the unsuspecting Brother Blood. Brother Blood managed to turn around and his glowing red eyes widened as the blast came at him. He tried to block it with his energy but the blast pierced right through his shield impacting directly into his chest. The blast sent him flying into one of the barrier walls with a sickening crack. His eyes dimmed down and Brother Blood was out of the fight.

Beast Boy had immediately gone to save Terra and easily helped dispatch the robots that were threatening her. She seemed scared at first by the beast helping her but after looking into its eyes, she could see it was only her love Beast Boy. She gave the Beast a quick hug. Cyborg tried to get up but found he didn't have enough energy to move, just enough to stay awake.

He noticed that the darkness of the battlefield seemed to brighten and looked up to see the blackness of the sky separating to reveal a blood red moon. Its light beamed down on them, bathing the altar in its unnatural red light. The three titans watched in horror as Slade raised a blade over his head and plunged it into Raven. The three titans could hear Robin screaming for Slade to stop. The cry was filled with desperation but soon turned into one of pain as the blade met Raven's stomach. Her scream made everything seem to stop.

Black energy began pouring from her body. The energy of the altar seemed to rise up as small balls of light, the souls of a thousand innocents sacrificed to an unholy being. Everyone could hear the cries of anguish coming from the souls. The black energy combined with the souls in a large ball of energy about ten feet behind Slade as he started chanting some strange language. The energy started slowly expanding into an opening. The Gate had been opened.

After being blasted by Slade, it had take SoulBurn a few moments to gather himself to his feet. He watched as Slade raised the dagger containing his energy above his head and plunged it into Raven's bound form. Robin's cry caused him to grip his ears. It was so full of pain that it was almost overwhelming him. He could feel both Raven and Robin's pain as if it was his own. He realized it must be from entering the link they shared. He watched as the souls he had been forced to steal combined with the black energy that was pouring from Raven's body. He listened to the words chanted by Slade and somehow recognized the words.

"The seals are finally broken. The Gate is opening. The anchors of your body, essence, and power lie on this side of the Gate. Come forth Lucifer and claim what is yours. Bring never-ending pain to all."

SoulBurn listened to the words and remembered the words that had been told to both him and Robin during their visions. It finally made sense to SoulBurn what the voice was trying to tell him. Lucifer could only come through the gate if a piece of his body, essence and power were already there. If one was forced back through the Gate, the Darklord of Hell would not be able to come through.

Raven contained the essence and body of Trigon. The essence had left her body and helped create the Gate so that could not be stopped. He was defiantly not going to throw Raven's body into Hell. That would never be an option. She would be saved.

That left one and only one last possibility for him, Slade. If Slade was forced through the Gate, then this would all end. Lucifer would not be able to enter into the mortal realm and destroy everything that mortal beings had strived to create. SoulBurn watched as the portal began slowly expanding in size. The other titans were trying to reach the altar but some time of fire barrier was keeping them away. There was not much time as Trigon's booming voice could be heard coming from the other side.

"The time has come! I will rule all existence and exact my revenge!" SoulBurn concentrated at managed to teleport through the barrier while most of its power was concentrated keeping the other Titans out. He stared down Slade who stood laughing in front of the Gate.

"You have failed SoulBurn. You have ensured the destruction off the mortal realm as well as heaven. You truly are the Last of the Fallen Angels." SoulBurn felt the rage rising again. He looked over at Starfire who was still chained to the stone column. She was still crying and bleeding but her eyes held a quiet strength. SoulBurn could barely hear her say something to him.

"Please SoulBurn. Please save Raven. Save the Titans." SoulBurn gave her final smile.

SoulBurn could feel energy building up within him again though this was not fueled by rage and hatred. Instead he focused on the Titans.

He thought of the shining beacon of hope that was Starfire. Even at the end with her life in danger, she only carried about her friends lives. Her purity and gentleness had eased his soul even when it was torn apart.

He thought of Cyborg, the strong spirit of a man within a machine who would give everything for his friends.

He thought to Terra and Beast Boy, A love so strong that it endured such horrible betrayal and even death itself.

The other Titans watched as pure white energy began swirling around SoulBurn. Slade's eye widened at the sight. He unleashed a wave of fire at SoulBurn only for it to be met with blinding white energy flowing from SoulBurn's hands. The power of heaven and hell met to determine the fate of all existence. SoulBurn fought with everything he had but could feel himself losing. The power flowing through his body was beginning to destroy it. He could feel the flesh of his arms beginning to burn. Slade laughed maliciously.

"This was foolish SoulBurn. You could have served Lucifer as I have chosen to. You could have helped rule beside him. Instead you will die now. It really is sad that your mortal body was never meant to harness such awesome power. You might have stood a chance otherwise."

SoulBurn watched as the fire got closer as the portal still continued to grow in size. He could see the towering form of Trigon in the burning landscape of Hell with His disfigured and corrupted servants waiting ravenously behind him for the Gate to open fully enough to allow their passage.

SoulBurn looked over at Raven, her small body chained to the altar with the dagger still imbedded in her. He could hear Robin calling to Raven from behind the barrier trying to get her to show some sign that she was still alive. SoulBurn knew what he had to do. Raven would have her chance to live without the burden of her Father. She and Robin would have the chance to love each other. Even when all of fate and destiny told them they couldn't be together, SoulBurn still could feel the love that was coming from the two, though it was fading in Raven's dying form.

"No Slade. The world will be saved. There are things in this world that must never be ended. Now go to Hell." SoulBurn opened up his entire body to the energy around him. The pain was immense but he ignored it. The wave of energy pushed toward Slade even as the skin of SoulBurn's arms melted away revealing the bone in some places. SoulBurn looked one last time toward Robin. Masked white eyes met glowing white eyes.

"Take care of her." Robin could hear the words in his mind though nothing was said. SoulBurn unleashed more energy that quickly overcame Slade. It contacted his body and in a brilliant explosion of white, blasted the half-dead emissary of Hell back through the Gate, minus his entire body below his ribs. White energy erupted from SoulBurn's entire body covering the entire area within the barrier.

When the energy finally faded away, the smoking visage of SoulBurn could be seen on his knees, his arms laying limp beside him, his head down. His arms were charred beyond recognition, the skin completely black and the bones of his fingers and hands were visible as no flesh remained. Blood dripped from an unknown amount of wounds to the ground and his white hair was now nearly burned completely off. It was a horrible sight. The Titans watched as the Gate seemed to start breaking down, its energy seemingly not able to hold it together anymore. SoulBurn had done it, the proof given by an enraged scream that could be heard from the other side as the portal started to slowly close.

"Noooooo! I will not be denied! If the universe can't be mine then I will at least have my revenge." The Titans watched in horror as a massive right hand came threw the Gate despite the resistance the energy of the Gate seemed to provide. The hand wrapped itself around SoulBurn's battered body.

"Come to Hell Azrael. Your father will watch you suffer for all eternity. I will have my revenge!" Starfire heard words in her mind as SoulBurn looked to her as she heard the massive hand begin crushing SoulBurn's ribs. Tears streamed down her face as she watched him suffer but SoulBurn managed to give her a smile.

"Its okay Starfre, existence is finally safe. Thank you for being the hope this Universe needs. Don't worry about me Kori, this is probably where I belong." The massive hand of Trigon disappeared back through the Gate taking SoulBurn with him. The Gate shut soon after.

The black energy that had helped form the Gate returned to the body of Raven while the blue souls seemed to dissipate into the sky. Raven screamed as the energy reentered her body and the Titans finally found the barrier gone. Robin was immediately at Raven's side. The chains binding her fell to the ground. He noticed the dagger was no longer there and there no longer seemed to be a wound. However she was not moving. He pulled her tiny body into her arms holding her tightly to his chest.

"Please Raven. Please be okay. You have to be okay. I need you Raven. I need you more than anything in this world. I've wanted to tell you for so long Raven and I don't care anymore if you don't want to hear it. I love you Raven. I love everything about you and I always will." Robin reached up and pulled off his mask as tears started falling from his eyes. Two light green eyes finally revealed to Raven.

"Please Raven. Please wake up." Raven's eyes slowly fluttered opened. Two beautiful amethyst eyes met two blue eyes for the very first time. Tears continued to flow from Robin's eyes. "Oh Thank God. Your okay." Robin closed his eyes and embraced her tighter hoping he would never have to let her go. "I love you Raven. I love you." Robin kept saying the words over and over again. He heard Raven say his name and he once again met her gaze. Tears were in her eyes as well but there was a small smile on her face.

"Would you please shut up and kiss me already. I can't wait any longer." A large grin formed on Robin's face as he brought his head down to give Raven a kiss. As if the universe itself was happy for them, the sky began to clear up and the stars became visible all over the world. The moon returned to its normal color and in the pale white moonlight, two new lovers kissed for the very first time.


	22. Nightmare and Reflection

1

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans so lets not try and sue me since I don't have anything to sue for.

Ch. 22: Nightmarse and Reflection

By: Finalitylife

Robin P.O.V:

One week had passed since the final battle against Slade. One week since Armageddon had been averted and the universe saved. One week since I finally told Raven I loved her. One week since I finally realized there were no such things as complete happy endings.

The final death toll from the devastation wrought by the geological disasters that had occurred following Terra's release had been terrible. Over one hundred million people were thought to have died though an exact number probably would never be known. Entire cities had been destroyed, completely wiped out from existence. It was the greatest tragedy the world would ever know and yet no one knew why it had happened. Well no one except for the 6 of us.

We had decided that it was best for the Earth to not know what had truly transpired. Knowledge that Heaven and Hell did truly exist was best kept secret. It was information that would only cause global hysteria and the world was already suffering enough. Fortunately the sky had miraculously cleared and the sun was once again shining bright on a battered world. It was the first sign of recovery for the world.

When the dust had finally settled on that final battlefield, it was the first time in so very long that the Titans were whole. Other than Cyborg badly needing a recharge and being upset that Brother Blood was nowhere to be fine, everyone came through the final battle okay, well physically anyways. Though the darkness had been stopped and the Gate closed, it seemed as if the evil of Trigon would always find away to get to us.

It was only two days after the final battle that the nightmares started happening. Terra was the first. She had told us that she had started having nightmares of her betrayal but now they had returned even stronger than before. It was not uncommon to walk past her door and hear her crying into Beast Boy's chest saying I'm sorry over and over again. Despite all she had done to try and redeem her actions, the haunting guilt seemed never to leave. I knew that all too well. Red X, my apprenticeship. It would always linger inside me just as the guilt would for Terra. Though she had been forgiven by the Titans, she had not forgiven herself.

Fortunately she had Beast Boy by her side. It seemed with Terra now back, he had matured rapidly into a man. He was still a jokester and happy-go-lucky but you could tell he was stronger and more grown up. He was always there to comfort Terra, reassure her, and to make sure she kept eating and sleeping regularly. You could see the love between them and it always made you smile. It warmly reminded me of Raven and myself. I knew Terra and Beast Boy would be okay.

Starfire was the next one to succumb to horrible nightmares though I now believe that the only reason she wasn't the first was because she didn't sleep for probably two days after the end. Starfire had been disturbed greatly by what she had seen. She had been the closest to SoulBurn than any of us and watching him be pulled into Hell but knowing he was resigned to such a horrible fate had hurt her. I remember the first time she screamed as I had been walking past her door at the time. I rushed in to find her laying in bed holding Silkie in her arms as tears flowed freely down her face. She looked at me with such sadness that it hurt.

FlashBack:

"Hey Star are you okay? Did you have a nightmare?"

"I should have been stronger. I should have tried harder to help him. I should have been able to save him. And now, he is gone." I could see the pain in her eyes and I knew who she was talking about. I pulled her into a gentle embrace as she cried into my chest.

"You did everything you could Starfire. I truly believe you are one of the sole reasons that he was able to do what he did. You were his hope."

"Hope…I hope he was dead Robin." The comment caught me completely off guard. Starfire would never say such a horrible. "I hope that he died before he was pulled into Hell. If he did then his soul would have been able to escape and find peace where it truly belonged. If he died then he wouldn't have to suffer the eternal damnation that my religion tells me he will suffer there." I finally understood what Starfire had meant. Death would have been a blessing for SoulBurn. He sacrificed himself to save us and she was afraid that he would suffer forever because of it.

"I'm sure everything worked out Starfire."

"No! What frightens me worse is I know he was alive. I could see him looking at me. I could hear him talking to me. I don't want to believe it but I have too. He was alive Robin and I know he is suffering." Again Starfire broke down in tears. I simply held her there letting her cry.

End Flashback

That was how it started for Starfire. She too carried guilt around within her. She blamed herself for not being able to save SoulBurn. It was truly depressing to watch such a hopeful and wonderful person succumb to such terrible feelings. Every time the nightmares would come it would be up to me or Cyborg to comfort her. We would simply hold her until she was all cried out and fell asleep. Cyborg as always was the rock the held everything together. He was the one to make sure Starfire was okay more so than me. He seemed to always know exactly what to say to her to calm her. He was the oldest Titan and sometimes it felt like he had grown up far before any of us. He held within him a quiet wisdom that was desperately needed right now. I knew I could count on him to take care of Starfire.

One other Titan suffered from nightmares though this was not new for her. However, it was her nightmares that scared all of us. Raven. My beautiful innocent Raven suffered the worst. Our first few days together following the battle were some of the most wonderful I had ever experienced in my life. We learned quickly that her emotions were no longer tied as strongly into her powers so she found she could freely express herself. We also learned that are link had lessened significantly. We both believed that it had happened because we were now freely expressing our emotions so there was no need for the strength of an unspoken connection.

We spent almost all our time simply holding each other and basking in the fact that we both had finally got what we both wanted and that Raven's father could bother her no more. The joy and happiness that we felt would leave far too quickly.

It was the day following Starfire's first nightmare that it first occurred. Raven had decided to sleep in my room with me.

I remember being curled up with her pulled tightly to my chest. I remember the smell of lavender and jasmine that always seemed to be on her. I remember sleeping so soundly that I thought I was in heaven. That was when it started. I awoke from my sleep by the sound of a whimper coming from Raven. I looked on her face and saw that she was starting to cry though she was still asleep. She started pleading with some unknown source as she cried harder and then suddenly let out a horrific scream of Mother. She then awoke.

She was frantic as she looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings that were my room. She fell off the bed to the ground and huddled herself in the nearest corner shaking. I tried to reach out to her but it only caused her to scream more and try to curl up tighter. I eventually managed to get a hold of her with a small bit of struggle. I forced her too look into my eyes. Our link still had strength if we made eye contact. I immediately found myself feeling very familiar emotions. It was those emotions that caused me to black out. The memories of when she had destroyed Azarath and killed her mother had now returned. She remembered every detail of what she had done. Her nightmare had been a replay of what she had done. She said it felt like she was an outside observer as she watched herself bring death and destruction.

I remember on that first night that it almost destroyed her. I truly believe had it not been for my presence, she would have taken her own life that night. For she had learned one other thing that night. She discovered that her Father was still there. His darkness was still within her. Raven always believed that if she stopped the prophecy from occurring she would be free of his evil within her. She was wrong. We may have stopped the prophecy but as long as Trigon existed, he would be a part of her.

It was a horrifying thought to Raven. All she wanted was to have peace. All she wanted to was be free of him and not have to worry about losing control. All she wanted to do was love me and her friends. Thankfully she later realized that his presence was nowhere near as strong as it had been. It was still there but could not hold sway over her mind and body as it once had been capable of. She did not have to fear losing control ever again.

However, this did not stop the nightmares from coming about her mother. Another Titan consumed by guilt about what she had done but what made it the worse was I didn't know how to make her leave that guilt behind. I couldn't leave my guilt behind so how could I convince her to do the same. All I could do was do my best and make sure she knew I loved her completely and forever.

I turned around and looked at the tiny sleeping form of Raven. She was covered up in my bed with the sheets pulled up high. The only parts of her visible were her head and one small, delicate hand. Her face was emotionless as she slept. She had come to my door crying not that long ago after having another nightmare. I held her as she cried and cried. Eventually she grew exhausted and I tucked her into bed. I kissed her gently on the forehead as she drifted off to sleep. The only words she said to me before falling asleep were I love you. It was all I ever needed to hear from her.

I let out a deep sigh as my thoughts drifted to the person who did not come back from the final battle. SoulBurn or as Trigon had called him as he took him to Hell, Azrael. In the end, he had left more questions than answers about what had truly happened to him and who he truly was. I had asked Raven one time what she thought had truly happened to him. She could not give a definite answer. As far as she knew, no living mortal had ever passed into Hell, but of course we weren't even sure if he really was mortal. Raven believed that most likely he had died soon after being pulled into Hell and that his soul would be trapped there for all eternity just like those of people who lived lives of the darkest evil.

It confirmed my fears that Starfire was correct though I would never tell her that. It was better she didn't know of his undeserving fate. It would at least give her the chance to eventually have hope for the final outcome for SoulBurn.

Who SoulBurn truly was, was a bigger mystery. Was he truly a Fallen Angel that had sided with the forces of light to stop Lucifer? Why did Lucifer seem so hell bent on exacting revenge on him? I constantly wondered what SoulBurn had done to not only be cast out of heaven but also to incite the malevolent wrath of Hell's ruler.

It was truly difficult to not think about our lost acquaintance because everywhere I looked I found myself being reminded of his actions. Every time I watched a report on the worldwide death toll I was reminded of his him. Every time I looked at Terra's bright blue eyes, I was reminded of how he made the Titans whole again. Every time I looked at my love safely by my side, I was reminded of him. It had been his energy that healed her on the altar when she would have most assuredly died. Every time I watched the sun rise again, I was reminded of his sacrifice.

I guess in the end it really never truly mattered who he was because in the end he was a hero. In the end, he proved who he truly was and it was not the monster Slade had accused him of being. I was pulled from my thoughts by the sound of Raven gently stirring in bed. I turned to her and my maskless eyes met with the two most beautiful eyes a man could ever look into.

"Hey there beautiful." I watched a gentle smile graced her face as well as a small blush.

"Is it necessary for you to compliment me every time you speak?"

"Of course it is Rae. I'd be a fool to not take ever opportunity to remind myself just how lucky I really am to have." Again she blushed.

"Dick, didn't I tell you not to call me Rae." I smiled mischievously at her as I approached her.

"And I believe I told you to not call me Dick now didn't I."

"I believe I have the right to call you whatever I want Dick."

"Well in that case I think I need to teach you a lessen." Her eyes widened as I grinned down at her and I shot forward and pulled the sheets off her. I started relentlessly tickling her in all the spots that I had learned she was susceptible to. The thin material of her leotard made it rather easily to accomplish as her sides were her most vulnerable spot. She started giggling madly begging me to stop.

"You know what you have to do Raven. Only then will I stop." She managed to speak in between laughs.

"Alright, alright. I'm sorry for calling you Dick. I'm sorry. Please stop Richard." I immediately stopped at the sound of my preferred name. It was that moment that I realized I was on top of her pressed against the full length of her body. I looked down at her face. Her eyes were filled with love and passion. I gave her one more cocky smile and lowered my head to kiss her. It was moments like these that gave me hope for the future. It was moments like these that made me realize that everyone would eventually heal. The world would eventually heal. It was moments like these that almost made me believe there could be a complete happy ending.


	23. Times of Peace

1

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans so lets not try and sue me since I don't have anything to sue for.

Ch 23: Times of Peace

It was an unusually cold night in Jump City during a summer that had been nothing short of perfect. There seemed to be absolutely no wind at all as a thick cloud cover sat over the city blocking out the stars and moon. Just outside the city limits a young group of campers sat around a camp fire trying to tell scary stories but when you're from a city where supervillian attacks are a common occurrence, scary stories didn't quite have the same impact.

Little did they know that something truly frightening had occurred near the spot they sat. A battle for the universe had been fought here. Heaven had fought Hell and triumphed, Titans had been saved, darkness defeated, and a hero lost. No one knew of what transpired here that fateful day except 6 young heroes and one villain who had fled after the end. To the people of Earth, it would have looked just like a regular piece of beautiful forest that had an unusual spot of scorched earth which most simply believed came from other camper's fire.

It was these reasons why it was so surprising when two bolts of red lightning suddenly appeared right near this spot followed by a thunderous boom. The ground shook with the sound and all the campers cowered in fear. When everything finally returned to the quiet peacefulness it had been did the campers get out to inspect where the lightning seemed to have hit. They were startled to find a body laying on his back exactly on the spot of scorched Earth.

It was the body of a young man with long white hair. He was clad in only a tattered pair of what looked like shorts. What was most startling about him was the fact that his entire torso was covered in horrific scars that appeared to be from multiple burns, slashes, and stabs, including an extremely large one across his chest. It some spots it even looked like an animal had clawed or gnawed upon his body. His right arm was completely covered in scar tissue from fire and his right hand was missing two fingers. How anyone could have survived all those wounds was beyond any of there understanding.

Everyone let out a scream when his eyes shot open with a feral look in his eyes. A deep growl emanated from his chest as he backed up quickly into a crouching position as if he was expecting an attack. Everyone quickly noticed his eyes. One was the palest blue anyone had ever seen. It was almost see-through. The other however was even more unusual. A scar ran from across his face from above that eye down to his cheek. The eye itself was frightening to stare into. It was the darkest of black, a void of nothingness. The campers quickly began fearing for their lives and if sensing there fear, the person in front of them seemed to calm down. Even his black eye seemed to soften as he stood up into a standing position. The campers realized the young man stood about 6 feet tall with a muscular build though he seemed to be having trouble standing upright. The stranger eyed them carefully before speaking.

"You have no need to fear me...I will not hurt you. Please, trust me, I am no threat. All I ask is for some water. I have not had some in so very long."

The campers studied the figure in front of them. None of them knew why but staring into his blue eye they could feel that they could trust him. He radiated a secure feeling. One of the campers pulled himself together first and ran at got his canteen. He brought it over to the stranger who graciously accepted it. He brought the cool liquid to his lips and drank like a person who had not had water in months. Eventually he stopped and wiped his mouth with his hand and handed the canteen back to the camper.

"Thank you very much. You have no idea how much I needed that." Another camper found his voice and spoke.

"Why don't you come over to the fire. You must be cold with such little clothes." A warm smile graced the stranger's lips as he accepted the offer. He walked slowly, each step a little bit unsure in its sturdiness, but he stayed on his feet. As he passed the campers saw that his back was just as scarred as his chest. One camper noticed that one of the scars seemed to be a strange symbol but said nothing of it. Very few people in the Universe would have known what the symbol represented. It was the mark of Hell. It was the mark of Trigon.

The next afternoon at Titan's Tower was greatly warmer than the previous night had been. In fact it was absolutely perfect outside which worked out for the Titans as on this day the members of Titan's East had come to visit for a beach party. Each of the Titans took the opportunity of the day and were currently enjoying various beach activities.

Terra, Beast Boy, Bumble Bee, and Cyborg were playing an intense game of volleyball with insults being thrown loosely around by both the male members of the game. The girls simply shook their heads and gave knowing looks to each other as they both thought the same thing. 'Will those two ever grow up?'

Every willing and able male member of the Titan's East was currently helping Starfire build a sand castle. The Tamaranian beauty was wearing a very revealing pink bikini and was giggling happily as she worked. The bikini could be considered slightly inappropriate but was quite covering by Tamaranian standards. Of course there was nothing someone as pure and innocent as Starfire could do that could really be considered inappropriate.

The boys of Titan's East sat with hearts in their eyes as they helped her build the royal palace from her home planet. The four of them occasionally would glare daggers at the others when Starfire seemed to be paying attention to one more than the others. Starfire was slightly aware of this fact so tried to make sure everyone was equally involved in her fun. Of course she didn't realize that it was only a matter of time before the 4 young men beat each other to a pulp for the chance to take her on a date.

Robin sat quietly nearby keeping a careful eye on Starfire and the boys. He trusted them all but as usual, when it came to Starfire, he was very overprotective. He glanced over at his dark goddess who sat next to him quietly reading a book, her hair now slightly passed her shoulders. She wore a modest black one piece not all the different from her uniform minus the sleeves. It didn't matter what she wore, she was always the most beautiful woman in the world. As if feeling Robin's eyes on her, Raven glanced up with a slight blush and smiled.

"You don't see me gawking at your perfect chest now do you Robin." Robin gave her a cocky grin.

"I'm only perfect because I have you by my side. It's a relativity thing." Raven smiled at the cheesy comment though her voice remained flat.

"Flattery won't get you anywhere Robin. Not with this girl."

"I know but I'm still going to tell it like it is." Raven leaned forward and gave Robin a gentle kiss on the lips.

"Please be quiet Richard. I'm trying to read." Robin's eyes widened for a second though it was hard to tell through his mask. He smiled at her.

"Anything for you." Raven resumed reading as Robin became lost in his thoughts. It had been six months since the universe had been saved. It seemed with the end of the prophecy wanton hate and destruction seemed to diminish in the world. Following the great tragedies the Earth had suffered, the people of Earth had come together like never before to rebuild and help those that had suffered. Tragedy does always seem to bring out the best in people. Crime had all but vanished except for the occasional bank robbery or some foolishness with Mumbo Jumbo.

It was that reason that days like today had become so frequent. The members of Titan's East were over at least once a week to hang out since Jump City was much nicer than Steel City. Cyborg and Bumble Bee had developed a relationship though they bickered constantly about nothing. It was just there way. He was sure eventually one of the boys would strike up a relationship with Starfire but that was a whole other story.

Most importantly though, well at least to Robin was that each of the female members of the Titans had nearly recovered from the nightmares that plagued them though they still came on occasions. Starfire had returned to her usual self almost all the time though she was prone to a melancholy moment when something reminded her of what had happened. It didn't come up often as no one outside the first group of titans knew about SoulBurn and what had happened though Bumble Bee did know a little. It worked out the best that way and Starfire was almost always smiling and could always be counted on for a hug.

Terra had recovered well to and her and Beast Boy were more in love than ever. They had started a prank war with Cyborg though he had no idea he was involved. Some of the stuff they pulled was completely outrageous though it did help to bring a sense of carefreeness to the Tower.

Raven...Raven still suffered the most. It was hard when the one person she needed forgiveness from was her mother and she knew that could never happen. Robin weathered the nightmares with her as they almost always shared a bed in her room or his own, rarely sleeping alone. Robin was always there to share her pain and hold her till she fell asleep. He would never let her hurt if he could help it. The two birds had bonded deeper than the mental link had ever been. They truly were more than soulmates. Without her, Robin honestly believed he would probably die.

Robin and Raven's relationship had started slightly awkward as Raven had been very insecure. She never really had the freedom of emotions before and it took a lot of adjusting for her to express them. She had been prone to fall into deep depressions just as suddenly as she would be happier than Starfire. There were moments where she would hate her appearance and then a few moments later would be telling me how lucky I was to have someone as beautiful as her. No matter what the case, Robin was there by her side to do what he needed to help her.

It finally had come to the point where she was almost completely okay. Robin found himself smiling again at her reading form, thinking just how perfect she was. His thoughts slowly moved toward the Titan's new houseguest and his wonder of where the heck she was. Robin had made her go back inside when she had practically come out naked. She tried to claim that all the essentials were covered but he had made her change anyways. Robin had argued about it with her and she had eventually folded. He knew it wasn't often he won an argument with her. It was just about as often that he won one with Raven. Wonderfully stubborn girl, oh well he thought, he was sure she'd show up eventually, especially with such a perfect day outside.

Meanwhile in the main room of the tower, a brief flash of light occurred and a figure suddenly stood in the center of the room. He had been trying to teleport to the Titans but had found his powers had been slightly off and could not get to the exact spot. He barely had time to look around the room before he felt something slam into the back of his head and fell into darkness.

Robin sat taking in all the beautiful surroundings when he spotted their new guest coming over. It looked like she was carrying some type of sack over her shoulder, and it wasn't till she got closer that he noticed it was indeed a person.

"Hey guys. Caught this asshole breaking into the Tower, I mean who could really be stupid enough to try that." She deposited the body on the ground and everyone came over. Every single Titan gasped while all at the same time the members of Titan's East simply looked confused. Bumble Bee was the first to speak.

"I'd assume by your gasping that you know this guy. Want to fill us in on who he his?" No one said a thing but simply stood there like statues, tears could be seen forming in Starfire's eyes. The Titan's watched as the body began to stir and when his eyes opened there was no doubt who he was. Though only one eye remained how it used to be, no other being they had ever encountered had white hair and that pale blue eye. Tears began streaming down Starfire's face for SoulBurn had return.


	24. Finding Answers

1

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans so lets not try and sue me since I don't have anything to sue for.

Ch. 24:Finding Answers

The only sound on the beach at that moment was the gentle rush of the waves. It seemed like nobody knew what to do or say, especially the members of Titan's East who really had no idea what was going on. Everyone simply stared at the now standing figure of SoulBurn. He was dressed in a pair of what looked to be workout pants and a long sleeve shirt, and hee also wore black gloves on both his hands. It was very unusual attire for the summer. SoulBurn seemed to curiously look around the large group that stood in front of him, uncertainty radiating from hin.

However, he barely had time to realize who was in front before a sobbing, red-haired blur flew toward him and enveloped him in a bone-crushing hug. SoulBurn was startled for a few seconds and then seemed to be quickly losing air though eventually returned the hug. Starfire sobbed loudly into his chest muttering "Thank you X'hal" over and over again.

The male members of Titan's East glared dangerously at the new comer who Starfire reacted so fondly too. As of knowing what they were all doing, SoulBurn gave a glare of his own at all of them that scared each of the young heroes, though none of them would ever admit that fact. SoulBurn's eyes held such a frightening intensity that it caused each of them to look away and fidget slightly. During this entire time, none of the other Titans had moved or spoken. They simply watched Starfire embrace their lost acquaintance tightly. Beast Boy and Terra were both excited to see SoulBurn. Cyborg was completely shocked. Robin and Raven eyed him suspiciously. It wasn't every day that someone appeared out of nowhere when you know they had been in Hell. In the end it was the Titan's new houseguest who broke the silence.

"Well I guess he isn't an enemy after all. And here I thought we might have a little excitement around here." S

hock was clearly evident on SoulBurn's face at the sound of the voice. He acted as if he was surprised to find a person standing behind him. He was in fact still confused that some one had been able to sneak up on him before without him at least feeling another presence, and it appeared that it had happened again. Something wasn't right here.

SoulBurn gently pulled away from Starfire and turned toward the mystery person. He found a tall, black-haired female standing there confidently in a very revealing black bikini. On further inspection, SoulBurn realized that this girl looked like an older, curvier version of Starfire though it was her eyes that were most blatantly different than Starfire's. Where Starfire had kind, gentle eyes this girl had a cold, predatory look in her eyes. Her eyes would have been unsettling for most men but they did not bother SoulBurn even as he could feel the girl's eyes moving up and down his frame. SoulBurn stared intently at the girl as a strange feeling of something being terribly wrong with her swept over him. His powers had been chaotic since somehow returning to the mortal realm so he simply chalked the feeling up to that. It was the girl who once again broke the silence.

"You know it's rude to stare," an arrogant grin graced her face, " though I can't really blame you." The young woman struck a pose pushing out her chest. Any other man would have blushed or started drooling which Aqualad, Speedy, and Beast Boy were doing but once again it seemed not to faze SoulBurn who simply continued looking at her with a questioning look. Terra slapped Beast Boy upside the head when she realized he was staring. Starfire was the next to speak.

"Please sister, do not behave in such a manner in front of our newly returning friend." At the mention of sister something clicked in SoulBurn's head. This would definitely explain why she looked like Starfire. SoulBurn remembered Starfire talking quite a bit about an older sister of hers who twice had tried to ruin her life since she had joined the Titans. SoulBurn recalled Starfire saying that no matter what she still loved her sister and hoped one day she would learn the error of her ways. Apparently she had though SoulBurn still felt something was wrong with, if he remembered her name correctly, Blackfire.

Starfire continued to speak as SoulBurn processed this new information.

"This should be a moment of joy and happiness for friend SoulBurn has come back to us. Allow me to celebrate by singing the Tamaranian Song of Happiness, all 400 verses of it." Even Blackfire's eyes widened in fear at this new claim but it was SoulBurn who came to the rescue as he gently placed a hand on Starfire's shoulder.

"That is not necessary Starfire. Simply seeing your smiling face is enough celebration for me." Starfire simply beamed at the comment and happily nodded her head. Robin was the next to speak.

"I really hate to ruin the moment but I have a lot of questions for you SoulBurn and I would like some answers. I recommend we go somewhere private and talk." SoulBurn slowly turned toward the leader of the Titans with a grim look on his face.

"I too think that is necessary Robin. I would like to speak to you and Raven alone if I could. I will have to ask her something that only she can do." Robin was curious about what he wanted to say to Raven but figured that could be answered when it came. There was no reason to push SoulBurn for answers in front of everyone, especially those who knew not who he was.

"Then let us go into the main room. Everyone else, stay out here, I'll call you up when we're finished. The members of the Titans nodded in agreement while the members of Titan's East simply stood in silence feeling they had no right to talk or interfere right now. Blackfire simply shrugged her shoulders and proceeded to walk away toward a beach chair,swaying her hips as she walked. SoulBurn walked toward the two birds, and Raven used her powers to teleport them to the main room.

Robin P.O.V:

Forty-five minutes later, SoulBurn had finished speaking. His story ended with him explaining that he had somehow found himself back in the mortal realm and that some campers found him. They had offered him water, food, and clothes and had allowed him to sleep by their fire for the night. Eventually he decided to come find us which is what brought him to the Tower though being knocked out by Blackfire was an unexpected occurrence.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't completely horrified right at this moment. I could feel all the blood drained from my face and felt like I could vomit any second. I instinctively had grabbed Raven's hand during the course of listening and felt her squeeze back in return. Her being there might have been the only reason I managed to keep my body from rejecting its content. I looked over to Raven who had an emotionless look on her face. What had been said to us was disturbing at the very least but I figured she would handle it better. She had seen a number of terrible things in her life, whether in her actions or in the visions she had been forced to see. What she had remembered about the Fate of Azarath as well as her mother was terrible proof of that.

However, even I could see her eyes held a softness as she looked upon SoulBurn, a look that was usually only reserved for me. I would have felt a slight twinge of jelousy normally but not for SoulBurn. I don't think I could ever be jealous of SoulBurn, not after what he had endured. My mind keeps thinking SoulBurn but I now know for a fact that his real name is Azrael. He asked us not to call him by that though. The sound of his own name only reminded him of his tortures as the only one to call him by that was indeed Raven's Father Trigon.

From SoulBurn's story, I quickly realized that Hell was truly as bad as it was made to sound and that Raven's Father was truly the greatest of evils. SoulBurn had been forced to endure terrible pain every second he could remember at the hands of the demons of hell and Trigon. There was never an end to the suffering. There was no sleep to relax, no water to quench thirst, no food to satisfy hunger. The fact that SoulBurn still looked strong and had in fact grown was a mystery in itself though I doubted anything in Hell would work normal. SoulBurn had reluctantly showed us his body, though only his chest. I quickly realized that no amount of scars I could ever obtain fighting crime would compare to what he carried on his body. Even Raven had gasped at the sight and I could immediately tell SoulBurn was very self conscious about it as he flinched when he heard Raven gasp. I could tell SoulBurn was waiting for one of us to say something and it was Raven who spoke first.

"I…I am truly sorry SoulBurn. I know nothing I can ever say can make what you endured any easier to deal with but if you need anything, I will help. I owe you that much because in the end, it is still my Father that did this to you." I was shocked to watch SoulBurn's eyes soften at Raven's comment though it was hard to tell. His one eye seemed quite distant and the black one really never seemed there at all.

"Raven, even after everything that has happened, I will never fault you for anything that monster has done. In my eyes he has nothing to do with you anymore so don't think you owe me anything." I was surprised by the conviction in his voice. I felt Raven squeeze my hand gently. I truly believe hearing those words from SoulBurn meant something to her that me saying it could never mean.

"However, I would like you to ask you for one peronal favor Raven. As time passed in Hell, a lot of it thankfully became a blur as a majority of what was happening has become nothing but one long moment of pain. I know that my returning here is no accident and I know the truth is locked somewhere in my memories. I want you Raven to go into my mind and find out what is going on. I fear that your Father is up to something again and I will not be used by him again. I need to know the truth." Raven and I listened to the words and I knew she would answer yes so I quickly jumped in.

"I would like a few moments to discuss this request with Raven if you don't mind SoulBurn." He nodded his head in approval. I turned to face Raven who had a strange look on her face. I gave her a pleading look and she seemed to accept it though I knew I would hear about it later. Raven was not very receptive to others trying to make decisions for her but I needed to talk to her about this. I got up and walked with Raven to the hallway where I knew SoulBurn would not hear us. Raven was the first to speak.

"May I ask what this is all about? I think that I am perfectly capable of making my own decisions Richard especially one that was specifically asked of me and not you." I looked at her stern face and let out a sigh. Here goes nothing.

"It's not that I doubt your judgment Raven, it's just I'm worried about what could happen if you did. It's the same exact worry I had the first time SoulBurn showed up. It's why I never asked then for you to enter his mind to try and find answers but now, I'm even more worried. I remember the strain entering my mind had on you, and I am only a normal human. Even now we don't know who or what SoulBurn really is, who knows what's locked inside his mind. I mean as far as we know he was thrown out of heaven and now he's returned from hell and comes back with enough scars that there should be no way he survived what he did. What lurks inside him could destroy you and I don't want to risk that." Raven's face slowly stopped looking so pissed off and eventually settled with a gentle smile. She did something very unexpected and hugged me tightly.

"I don't want to do this either Robin, and I would be lying if I said I wasn't scared but it needs to be done. My Father may have something to do with SoulBurn's return or he may not at all, but any connection needs to be discovered. I once almost let everyone be hurt because I kept what I knew about the prophecy to my self. I can't allow something like that to happen again if I have the chance to learn something."

"If your doing this because you feel guilty Raven…" I was cut off by her hand over my mouth.

"I am doing this because it's the right thing to do. I am doing this because it needs to be done." It was always moments like this when she spoke with such passion and conviction that made me respect her more. I could feel myself smile underneath her hand but it was for more for what I was about to do. Suddenly Raven let out a squeal and jumped back. She looked at me with a stern face.

"Richard, why did you just lick my hand." I smiled at her.

"I had to get you to move your hand so I could do this." I pushed forward and placed my hands on her hips. I brought my head down toward her surprised face and kissed her hard and full of passion. After a few seconds, I pulled back. The look on her face was priceless. Her eyes were closed and a small crooked smile graced her face. I laughed to myself. Maybe I really had a right to have a big ego if I was capable of making Raven look like that. Eventually she came too.

"You know Richard, that was totally inappropriate considering what we were discussing."

"I know Raven, but it needed to be done, just in case." She gave me a warm smile. She reached up on her toes and gave me a gentle kiss. Thanks to my recent growth spurt, she needed to reach to meet my lips.

"If the Apocalypse wasn't enough to keep me from you, then nothing will Richard." I looked into her eyes and saw that nothing else needed to be said. I knew this conversation was over and I knew she had to do this.

"Alright, let's go." I walked with her back to SoulBurn with my arm around her waist still not sure about what was happening but I trusted in Raven and that was really all I needed.

Raven P.O.V:

I told SoulBurn I was willing to help him, and he thanked me graciously. I assumed my floating lotus position and began chanting my mantra, feeling both Robin's and his eyes on me. I could feel the raging emotions within Robin as no matter what, he was tremendously worried right now. I pulled my thoughts from my love because the emotions were simply distracting me from my actual subject of interest.

Instead I focused completely on SoulBurn. I found it rather easy to reach toward his mind, most likely a side effect of him following me and Robin's link all those months ago. However, reaching toward his mind was far simpler than entering it. I had never encountered a mind that was so blocked off from my mental powers. I started speaking to SoulBurn through my mind.

"You need to relax SoulBurn. Your mental barriers are too strong. I need you to let down your guard so I can get into your mind."

"I am sorry Raven. I guess it's just a reflex. I will try and do my best." It took a few seconds but eventually I found an opening and entered.

I remembered when I had entered Robin's mind and encountered countless streams of memories but this was far different. There were almost no memories within his mind. There seemed to be only two small sections: one of happier memories when he was with the Titans and another darker side which could only be his time in Hell. I didn't want to go toward those dark thoughts but I knew that's where the answer lied that we all needed. I brushed my consciousness as little as I could against most of the memories though I did get brief glimpses of burning flesh and teeth tearing into his body but I managed to avoid most of them.

I approached the end of his memories of his time in Hell when suddenly my consciousness slammed up against some type of barrier. I noticed quickly that it wasn't a mental barrier but rather something beyond anything I'd ever felt before. I pushed against the barrier and found that it was indeed strong, receiving only residual feelings from it as I pushed. There were jumbles of thoughts and memories beyond that barrier, more than I had ever felt before, even when I had practiced this type of mental scan on my near ancient mentor Azar.

I pushed against the barrier again and this time I felt more of a direct connection though it was confusing. I felt complete chaos and order at exactly the same time. It was as if there were things beyond that barrier that should have never been together yet had found a way to coexist. In my own curiosity, I once again pushed all my mental power against the barrier and could feel the smallest of cracks form. Something started coming threw but it was not what I expected. It started as a low chuckle but kept getting louder. It was not dark but rather a mocking laugh and soon gave way to an arrogant, taunting voice that painfully reminded me of Malchior.

"I know this one though I think this is truly the first time I've encountered you. I thought you would be something special with your former destiny and all but from what I can see, you are just like all the other mortals in this flawed universe."

I could feel an icy presence pushing against my own mind but somehow it felt warm at exactly the same time.

"I guess though even you serve some type of purpose despite the end of the prophecy, all you creatures do despite a majority of them being beneath notice. What a strange conundrum existence is."

The slightly amused voice seemed to slowly regress and fade away from me as a new presence took its place. It was far darker than anything I had felt from the other presence but somehow it felt familiar. I quickly tried to close the crack I had formed in the barrier but found I couldn't. I tried to recede myself back to my body but found I was surrounded by this darkness. I could feel it closing in around me and a malevolent, booming laugh pierced straight through any mental barrier I had. It could feel myself fading into it and all I wanted do was scream, scream for Robin to help me but I knew it was far too late. Back in the main room, Robin watched horrified as my body collapsed limply to the ground.


	25. Peace of Mind

1

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans so lets not try and sue me since I don't have anything to sue for

Ch. 25: Peace of Mind

Raven gave one last vain effort to overcome the darkness surrounding her but found there was no escape and sadly began quietly said her good bye to her friends and Robin, hoping they would hear her. Suddenly she felt something overcome her that was not cold but warm and inviting. On instinct, she embraced this warmth hoping it would save her and she immediately felt her consciousness rip out of the darkness. It felt like she was floating away as she barely noticed that she was leaving SoulBurn's mind. It was only a few seconds but it felt like a few hours to Raven though she didn't mind. The feeling this warmth was giving her was only matched by the feeling Robin gave to her when he held her or told her he loved her. She finally felt her consciousness stop moving and found herself completely surrounded in white. A voice appearing out of nowhere startled her but it sounded vaguely familiar.

"Hello my little Raven. I am so glad to see you again." Raven watched as a person appeared at a distance in front of her slowly getting closer. Raven could tell it was a woman and was surprised that she could even see her. The flowing white gown of the woman should have blended in perfectly with the surroundings. As the woman came into perfect view, Raven studied her carefully. It only took her a few seconds to recognize her face, the face that had helped haunt her guilt-ridden nightmares. When she had still been alive, this woman had been known as Arella and Raven found her eyes widened in total shock as she only managed to get out one word.

"Mama…." The woman in front of her was beautiful to say the least. She had long black hair and dark blue eyes. She was slightly taller than Raven but had the same graceful curves of her daughter. At the sound of Raven's voice, the woman gave Raven the warmest of smiles. The two stood there staring at each other with Raven unsure what to do, her mother choosing to speak first.

"You have become such a beautiful woman my daughter and such a wonderful person. I am so proud of you." Raven could feel the tears starting to flow as she lowered her head in shame. She spoke in a quiet voice.

"But I killed you...it was me that killed you and Azarath. How can you be proud of me...I've done such terrible things." The tears were now fully falling from Raven's eyes yet she kept her head down. She was afraid to look at her mother's reaction. Raven quickly found herself embraced in a loving hug from her mother as she pulled her daughter to her and began speaking soothing words.

"Shh my little Raven. I do not blame you for what happened. I know that it was Trigon who did all those terrible things. It is I who did wrong when I allowed myself to be kept from you. You do not have to carry around this guilt anymore Raven. You are my beautiful, innocent daughter, and that is what you always will be. I love you Raven. I love you so very much." Raven carefully looked into her mother's eyes and felt the love radiating off her. Raven reached her arms around her mother's waist and hugged tightly crying into her shoulder.

"I love you too mama. I love you too." If anyone would have seen this embrace, they would have seen something very different. They would have seen a small little purple haired child hugging their mother who had kneeled down to meet her embrace. They stayed that way for what felt like an eternity, both women with tears of happiness flowing down their faces.. Eventually Raven slowly pushed away, sniffling and wiping her eyes.

"How am I here mother? Am I dead? Please tell me I'm not, I can't leave Robin." Arella smiled slightly at her panicky daughter.

"Do not worry Raven, you are not dead. It is just that you were in much danger and needed to be saved. A friend brought you here to safety so that I could talk to you. You needed to be free of your guilt so you can truly be happy and I knew I could do this for you." Raven eyed her mother.

"A friend?" Arella smiled again.

"Now where are my manners, Michael please come out and meet my daughter though I am sure you already know her. I believe she wants to thank you for saving her life."

As with her mother, another person appeared off in the distance. As this one got closer, Raven let out a gasp. This person was definitely male and very tall. He seemed to be dressed in a white robe but his strong build could still be seen underneath. He seemed to be about middle age and had long blonde hair with very pale blue eyes, eyes she had only seen once before. Of course the most noticeably feature were two enormous glowing white wings coming from his back. As he got closer, Raven could only describe him as ridiculously good-looking. He seemed to radiate with the same warmth that had carried her here, saving her from the darkness. When he spoke his voice was like beautiful music.

"Hello Raven. It is a pleasure to meet you. I have watched you for almost your entire life and I must say I am honored to meet someone like you." Raven watched the angel extend his hand but could not shake it. It finally dawned on Raven who this was. He was an angel and his name was Michael. Raven suddenly realized something very important: The Arch-Angel Michael, First and most powerful of all Angels in the High Heavens was standing in front of her. Raven's eyes widened as she looked at the towering figure and immediately dropped to one knee with her head down.

"No it is the up most honor that I get the chance to meet you. I hope I have not disrespected you in any way. I thank you most graciously for my rescue though I don't think I could ever thank you enough." Raven was shocked when she heard two people laughing in front of her. She slowly looked up and saw her mother and Michael laughing at her. Michael was even clutching his sides he was laughing so hard. He regained enough composure to speak in between chuckles.

"Rise daughter of Arella. You'll find that a majority of we angels are not big fans of formality and people bowing down to us. It actually embarrasses us. In my heart, I am no better than you so do not treat me as so. You really just reminded me of your mother when I first met her. She did something so very similar." Raven looked over to her mother who was turning slightly red and smiling sheepishly which caused Raven to blush slightly. One thing Raven did notice is that Michael called her daughter of Arella rather than daughter of Trigon. It made her feel good.

"I still wish to say thank you for saving me though." A breathtakingly beautiful smile formed on Michael's face.

"You are most welcome Raven. I couldn't let Robin have to live the rest of his life without you."

"You know about Robin?" Arella spoke next.

"Of course Raven and let me say he is quite the handsome one with those blue eyes. He seemed a little fidgety when I talked to him but I could tell he loved you so very much as I know you love him too. I'm just amazed that after all this time you two haven't been intimate yet." Raven could feel her entire face go beat read.

"Mother!" Raven was so embarrassed. Why did her mother have to bring up her personal life in front of an Arch-Angel. However, her mind changed course when she realized something. "It was you who spoke to Robin in that vision he told me about. It was you who tried to help us fight the prophecy."

"Yes it was Raven with the help of Michael of course. We did all we could to try and help."

"Your telling me all you could do was a few cryptic visions. I find that hard to believe." Michael spoke up.

"I know it sounds strange but it is true. We angels must be very careful to maintain a balance in the mortal realm. If we try to interact too much with it, it could have terrible consequences. And because of a particular presence in the mortal realm, we are all but locked out. To interfere too much now would be very, very disastrous.

"You mean SoulBurn don't you." Michael's face seemed to darken for a second at the sound of the name but quickly returned to its angelic look.

"Yes. It is Azrael's presence that keeps us from helping anymore than small things like visions. In fact, saving you was definitely, as you mortals say, pushing it." Raven butted in.

"He doesn't like being called Azrael you know." A slight chuckle escaped Michael's lips but quickly ended.

"He never did like his name though I suppose his reason for not liking it now is more obvious, but anyways, I believe you went into SoulBurn's mind to find answers and I hope I can give them to you. It is far too dangerous to try to go into his mind again." The way Michael said the last line, Raven knew it was serious.

"What is it that you can tell me about him. There are so many questions that there are no answers to."

"Raven, you have come seeking answers to if Lucifer is up to something again and that is what I shall answer. I will answer no other questions about SoulBurn." His voice never raised but Raven got the point.

"It is unclear how SoulBurn has returned from Hell. He was a living mortal when he entered into Hell so there was nothing stopping his return to the mortal realm as long as he remained alive. If he freed himself while there, he could have easily used his powers to escape and no demon could have followed."

"You haven't answered the important question. Is he a threat? Is my Father up to something?"

"I can not say for sure Raven. No one in the high heavens can see what occurs in Hell just as no one in Hell can see here, that is unless they enter into the mortal realm. Both Heaven and Hell can see almost everything that occurs in the mortal realm though interaction with it is almost nonexistence. We angels can view vast amounts of worlds at any given moment and can hear almost anything but I know of no prophecies that deal with anything like this and I could not view what happened while SoulBurn was trapped in Hell. I can tell you that the essence of SoulBurn before he went into Hell has not changed dramatically since his return though it is a little darker. I imagine that is from his hellish experiences he spoke to you about." Raven shuddered slightly at being reminded of what had happened to SoulBurn. "Right now my senses tell me that he is the same person he was when he helped fight against Slade."

"But what about what lies behind that barrier in his mind, what you needed to save me from. That sure as hell felt like a major threat."

"Raven, watch your language." Raven looked sheepishly at her mother.

"I'm sorry mother and I apologize to you Michael. That was unnecessary." Michael laughed slightly.

"You should hear the words that come out of Gabriel's mouth. Now that is inappropriate." Everyone couldn't help but smile. Michael continued speaking.

"That barrier should have never been. It was an unexpected occurrence but did work out in our favor at the time. I won't go in to the details but as long as that barrier stays up, SoulBurn is definitely no threat. However, even if by some unbelievable act it comes down, I still believe the threat won't be drastic."

"But what about that darkness I felt, if that was unleashed…." Michael cut her off with a wave of his hand.

"That darkness is as much a part of SoulBurn as was the part that reached out to me and allowed me to save you, however both are currently locked away. You have two choices Raven. You can either simply kill SoulBurn and ensure he never will be a threat."

"How about a realistic option." Raven quickly responded with that. There was no way they were going to kill him. He risked his life for her even when she barely knew him, when she was a threat to the universe. She would not abandon him for what he nor any of her friends never could do to her.

"The second option is to simply accept him as he is right now and have faith that everything will work out." Raven let out a deep sigh.

"So that is it. You really don't have any answers for me and won't tell me anything else." The Arch-Angel nodded his head slowly.

"Well though I am grateful for you saving me and allowing me to see my mother, I can't say I'm all to happy with this little information session."

"It is all I can say for my own reasons. Some things are best let to work themselves out." Again Raven nodded slightly.

"It is time to send you back to your body Raven. It will only have been a few seconds in the mortal realm so no one will be too worried about you suddenly fainting." Raven nodded and approached her mother. Arella spoke first.

"I am glad I got to see you again daughter. I will miss you and know that I will always love you." Raven hugged her mother who quickly returned the embrace.

"I love you too mama. I will see you again. I promise." And with that Raven faded away back to her body. The two figures stood there in silence for a few seconds before Michael spoke.

"And now all we can do is pray for the safety and happiness of our children."

Meanwhile back in the tower, Robin was holding Raven who had apparently fainted for a few seconds. She was still breathing but he was still concerned. Suddenly her eyes fluttered open and Robin was met with the sight of two beautiful amethyst eyes. Raven immediately pulled Robin's head down to her and kissed him. He eventually pulled away.

"What was that for?" Raven gave Robin a huge smile.

"I'm just happy to see you again." Robin returned her smile and helped her to her feet. Raven could feel SoulBurn's eyes upon her and a worrisome emotion coming from him.

She turned to SoulBurn who was sitting pensively on the couch.

"There is nothing to worry about SoulBurn. As far as I can tell, you are no threat. You are finally free of Hell and can now return to enjoying your life." SoulBurn warmly smiled and Raven found herself pulled into an unexpected hug from the much taller SoulBurn.

"Thank You Raven. Thank You so much." Raven reluctantly returned the hug. SoulBurn eventually let go when a loud commotion could be heard coming off the elevator. It was Cyborg's voice that was heard first.

"Now you guys better be done with what you're talking about cuz we've been waiting out there forever and you're not the only ones who wants answers." Cyborg was followed by Terra and Beast Boy who were carrying far too much beach stuff than they should have, depositing it messily on the floor. After that came Starfire, Bumble Bee, and the rest of Titan's East, lastly came Blackfire. Raven was the first to respond.

"We are done talking Cyborg but I do have to go have a conversation with Robin. You introduce SoulBurn to everyone and grill up some food. It is about time to eat."

"Right away little lady. It is time for the real iron chef to cook up some delicious meat for everybody, isn't that right B.B." Raven and Robin left the room as the inevitable meat versus tofu fight erupted. This left SoulBurn standing slightly nervous in front of the remaining people. Everyone seemed to be staring at him waiting for him to say something. His voice came out slightly quiet.

"Uhm Hello.


	26. Two Ways to End a Night

1

Ch. 26: Two Ways to End a Night

It eventually was Starfire who introduced everyone to SoulBurn, everyone that is except Blackfire for she had simply left, claiming this was boring her. SoulBurn was introduced as a dear friend who had helped defeat the bad man Slade forever which surprised everyone quite a bit that this was the guy who had finally put down Slade. SoulBurn shook everyone's hand and noticed the weird looks everyone gave them when they noticed his right hand only had 3 fingers. He would have preferred to shake with his left but everyone had put out their right hand's first.

After the brief introduction everyone seemed to scatter around to do there own thing. SoulBurn simply sat and took in all the new people he had just met. First there was Bumble Bee, a fit woman of African heritage who seemed to have plenty attitude with her. Her most noticeable feature were the two insect wings sprouting from her back. SoulBurn gathered that she was somehow involved with Cyborg as there playful fighting would give way to serious arguing only to return to playful fighting.

Next was the red-headed Speedy who honestly could have almost passed for Robin's twin, even wearing an identical black mask. He seemed rather goofy and light-hearted which was a far cry from Robin.

Next was the long, black-haired Aqualad who was nearly as just as tall as SoulBurn but not quite as broad. He mentioned he was Atlatean which would explain his affinity for water. He seemed to be a little quieter than the others he had met though he radiated a strong confidence from himself.

The last two were the two miniature twins Mas and Menos, clearly the most hyperactive of the group as they flew around the room, causing all types of mischief. They were happy to meet SoulBurn as he could speak Spanish with them and oddly enough almost no one in their little group spoke that language. SoulBurn couldn't help but wonder how things worked out with that little fact. It was an interesting group of people that he learned made up Titan's East.

SoulBurn also noticed that the original Titan's had changed as well. It was still hard for him to believe it had really been six months but the Titans were the proof. Cyborg had changed the least but his face did look more mature. Of all the Titans both Robin and Beast Boy had changed the most. Both had finally hit their late growth spurts and were at least 4-5 inches taller and had developed more muscle mass. While Beast Boy still had a childish look to his face, Robin definitely looked like an adult. Starfire, Terra, and Raven all had changed in similar ways, gaining more womanly curves as they matured, though none more than Terra. Each had gained a more mature look making each more attractive in their own right. Raven and Starfire had grown their hair longer though Star's only slightly. SoulBurn was disrupted by his thoughts when Terra came over and sat next to him.

"Hey SoulBurn. I just thought I'd come over and say hi. I really haven't had the chance yet." SoulBurn smiled at the young woman next to him.

"Hello Terra. I'm glad to see you again. It seems like everything turned out well for you." Terra seemed to pep up.

"Oh yeah. Its been great being back with the Titans and crime has been so low that I've just been able to enjoy having a real family for the first time in my life. Its been the best time of my life. How have you been?" Terra quickly placed her hand over her mouth as she watched SoulBurn's face drop slightly.

"I'm sorry, stupid question." SoulBurn smiled at her slightly.

"Its okay Terra. It's all over now and I have a chance to finally just live. That's really all that matters. Terra smiled and hugged SoulBurn. He gently returned the embrace.

"I'll always be there for you SoulBurn. My life right now wouldn't exist if it wasn't for you and I will find a way to pay you back somehow even if you don't want it." The two pulled apart and it was SoulBurn to speak next.

"So how has Beast Boy been doing?" As if he heard his name, Beast Boy suddenly vaulted over the couch and landed on his back with his head landing on Terra's lap. He looked up at her with a smile.

"Hey there good-looking. How about a kiss?" Terra giggled and bent down and gave him a deep kiss.

"Does this answer your question on how he's doing." SoulBurn looked down at Beast Boy who still had his head on Terra's lap. He had a goofy smile on his face and looked like he was in heaven.

"I'd say that answers my question. Good for you two. Young love is such a wonderful thing." Beast Boy managed to sit up.

"Don't I know it and I have you to thank for it all. I owe you a lot man and I will pay you back." Starfire's voice cheery voice came out of nowhere.

"We all owe you much friend SoulBurn. You did a great deal for us all." SoulBurn looked around at the three smiling Titans.

"Well if you all want to pay me back so badly, how about a car?" Everyone started laughing.

"Hell no man. I'm still saving up for my moped. You can get your own wheels." Suddenly Starfire started jumping up and down clapping her hands together like some excited kid, the sudden action catching everyone's attention.

"Oh I have a splendid idea. We should all go to a club of dancing in honor of having our friend's from Titan's East here as well as friend SoulBurn's. It would be most glorious." Beast Boy replied.

"That would be awesome Star but I think we have to run it by Boy Blunder first." As if planned, which could be true considering Robin's love of dramatic entrances, Robin and Raven took that exact moment to walk in the room.

"Sounds like a great idea Star, in fact Raven had actually just suggested that to me when we were talking." The whole room let out a collective gasp as they stared at Raven who was now back in her cloak.

"Why is everyone looking at me? Is it strange that I would want to go out and celebrate?" Beast Boy replied with a nervous laugh.

"Would you kill me if I said yes." Raven eyes him.

"No, but I think Robin is already going to kill you for the Boy Blunder comment." Beast Boy's eyes widened as he sank into the couch.

"Oh yeah, he probably heard that."

"Yes I did Beast Boy. Combat practice tomorrow morning at 6, just you and me." Beast Boy's eyes bugged out of his head.

"You have to be kidding me? You can't do this?" Robin grinned.

"Beast Boy, I am kidding." Again everyone let out a collective gasp as they stared at Robin. Cyborg spoke first.

"What the heck is going on here. Raven wants to go party, Robin's making jokes. Next thing you know Bumble Bee will admit she's wrong about something." Cyborg quickly realized what he said and ducked a flying pan. "Um sorry about that babe, I didn't mean that." Bumble Bee could be seen walking out of the room but yelled back.

"Well I guess I know who will be dancing alone tonight." Cyborg immediately went chasing after her, everyone laughing at the antics of the two.

"Alright everyone, listen up. We'll head out at about 10 so that gives us about five hours to do whatever we want. Any ideas?" Every male in the room responded with the same thing.

"Video Games!" and rushed toward the controllers. All the females simply let out a collective sigh while SoulBurn watched on in amusement. Raven turned toward SoulBurn.

"What not going to join them?"

"I'm not all that big of a fan of video games." Raven looked at him strangely.

"A boy who doesn't like video games. Now there's a real sign of the Apocalypse." The four of them started laughing, getting the joke on far more levels than anybody else could understand.

Eventually the time passed and everyone went and showered and changed to go out. SoulBurn found that his guest room was still unoccupied despite all the current guests though there was really not a change of clothes. There was a pair of jeans in there from before which he pulled on. Suddenly a knock occurred at his door and he opened it to reveal Starfire. She was clad in a long white skirt and pink top. Her hair was done slightly different, in a more mature style. She had a smile on her face. It was hard not to realize how beautiful she really was.

"Hello friend SoulBurn, I have brought you something." She handed him a very nice long sleeved black shirt. "I borrowed this from friend Aqualad. It believe it should fit you."

"Thank you Starfire. I really do appreciate this." SoulBurn gave Star a quick hug. "Let me finish changing and I'll be down to the main room in a few." However Star did not leave the doorway which SoulBurn noticed. "Is there something else you want Star?" Star shifted nervously.

"Yes friend though I feel guilty asking you a favor after everything you've already done."

"Go ahead Star. I'll help you out if I can."

"I have come to ask if you will keep an eye on my sister Blackfire tonight. Despite her joining us and asking for forgiveness something still bothers her greatly and it causes her to get overly festive when she goes out. I was hoping you could keep an eye on her and make sure nothing happens to her."

"Why me Starfire? I've never met her before."

"It is because I trust in you that you will not take advantage of her like so many other Terran males and also, I believe you are the only one with the power to not get hurt if she becomes angry. Others have tried but it usually ends badly." SoulBurn smiled at the alien in front of him. He really could never not smile when he looked at her when she held such concern for others on her face.

"I promise to keep an eye on her Starfire and I'll take her home if she gets out of control." Starfire charged forward and gave another bone crunching hug to SoulBurn.

"Thank you friend. Tomorrow I shall make you some special food from my home planet as a thank you." The bubbly alien princess flew down the hall toward the main room. SoulBurn let out a sigh.

"Sometimes I guess the reward is worse than the task." The door shut behind him.

Eventually everyone gathered in the main room and Robin started setting up the driving arrangements.

"Alright. Raven is going to ride with me on my bike." He turned at looked at his beautiful girlfriend. She was wearing a long black skirt with tight, long sleeved purple top. It was funny that she showed more skin with her leotard but at this moment he found her more desirable than ever. Robin managed to pull his eyes away from her.

"That should make it possible for the Titan's East to go in there car together and the four remaining Titans with Blackfire and SoulBurn can fit in the T-car. Sound like a plan?" Everyone nodded in agreement except Starfire.

"My sister is not here yet. Does anyone know where she is?" Terra gave a sarcastic response.

"She's just probably waiting to make a grand entrance." It wasn't that Terra didn't like Blackfire, it was just that she got the feeling she always looking down at everyone. Sure enough, Blackfire walked into the room confidently a few seconds later. She was clad in a very short, tight black skirt with a tight black top that revealed her stomach.

"Alright kids, lets hit the town." The males tried not to stare knowing that there would be numerous slaps by the other girls if they were caught. Robin said his last words and everyone was off.

On the way to the club, SoulBurn found himself sitting between Blackfire and Starfire in the T-car while Cyborg drove and Terra sat comfortably on Beast Boy's lap in the passenger seat. SoulBurn felt very uncomfortable next to Blackfire who kept shifting making her skirt slide up even more. It wasn't that he didn't recognize the fact that she was just as attractive as her younger sister, it just felt rude to stare and she kept ensuring that he did.

Eventually they arrived at the club and everyone quickly piled out of the car. Blackfire gave a dismissive wave to everyone telling them "Laterz", before disappearing into the club. SoulBurn knew keeping an eye on her wouldn't be easy, but a promise was a promise. He figured it was too early for her to get in trouble so he would just go chat with the other Titans for awhile.

The night went on with everyone having plenty of fun. The club had a good atmosphere that fit just about everyone. SoulBurn found himself dancing with Terra, Starfire, and Raven at some point in the evening and in fact had been approached by a few other random girls though he had graciously turned them down. He never really realized it until Terra said something but apparently he was attractive. He really had never thought about it because during the short time he could even remember, he had been fighting for his life. This was really the first time he had ever been out in a public place with lots of people. He couldn't say he felt comfortable but he really didn't feel out of place. At this moment he was simply happy to be.

After turning down another girl to dance, SoulBurn found himself sitting at the bar drinking a cold glass of water observing the crowd. He took a long sip of water and let out a refreshing 'ahhhh'. Not many people could appreciate water until they were deprived it for so very long. As SoulBurn looked out at the crowd, he couldn't help but smile. Robin and Raven sat comfortable in a booth in a corner, away from prying eyes. Robin sat with his back to the wall while Raven sat against him with Robin's arms around her. He could see Raven drawing small patterns on Robin's hands with her finger as he whispered something in her ear.

Terra and Beast Boy and Starfire and Speedy were currently together dancing to a slow song, both equally cute couples. Aqualad did not seem the least bit bothered by Starfire dancing with Speedy as he was currently surrounded by numerous women chatting with each of them with a cocky grin on his face. Mas and Menos were actually laying next to each other asleep on a table not that far from where Cyborg and Bumble Bee were quietly talking. Cyborg and Bumble Bee had been arguing all night but one only had to look at each others eyes and see they had forgotten all of that nonsense and were now simply enjoying each others company. That left only one person unaccounted for...Blackfire.

SoulBurn had spotted her every so often during the course of the night dancing, drinking, or flirting with some guy to get more drinks. SoulBurn finally spotted her surrounded by a group of about four guys laughing with a drink in her hand. She had actually been just a few feet in front of him but he hadn't noticed because some of the guys were in the way. SoulBurn didn't like the guys look and defiantly got a bad feeling from them but he also got a bad feeling from Blackfire so he wasn't really sure if he should trust his feelings. He watched as a noticeably drunk Blackfire dropped her empty glass and told one of the guys to get her another drink. The guy gave a strange smile and walked over to the bar to get her one. He barely took notice of the white-haired young man sitting there, despite the strangeness of his appearance. Of course, there were lots of strange looking people at this club tongiht.

SoulBurn watched as the man got the drink and discreetly dropped a white pill into it and mixed it up. He stared to walk back toward Blackfire when he felt himself stop because of a very strong grip on his wrist. He turned around and met two very pissed off eyes, one of them completely black.

"Is there something I can help you with buddy?" The guy's voice was cocky, not even close to understanding the situation he had walked into.

"I suggest that you put that drink down and take you and your buddies and leave." The guy made an effort to pull his arm way but found it didn't even budge.

"Hey man. We found her first. No need to ruin our fun just because you didn't get lucky." The guy felt unnerved by the growl that came from the guy holding his arm and even more unnerved by the flash of blue he could have sworn enter his eyes.

"I will give you one last chance. I promised to watch out for her and I take that very seriously considering who I made the promise too but with scum like you who would try to drug a girl, I will take this even more seriously if you do not walk away right now." The guy gave SoulBurn an arrogant smirk.

"And I'll give you one last chance to let me go before I…." The man never noticed that SoulBurn's hand started glowing blue and his words were cut off by the sound of his wrist bones cracking and his own scream. The scream was barely noticeable because of the loud music that had just started playing but loud enough for Blackfire and the other guys to take notice. They walked over when they saw the other guy clutching is arm with tears in his eyes. Blackfire walked right up to SoulBurn slurring her words.

"What do you think your doing? You shouldn't be trying to ruin my fun. The other Titans always try to but your not a Titan so leave me alone." SoulBurn stood up and met her gaze and noticed that Blackfire was only slightly shorter than him. He could smell the alcohol on her breath.

"If you must know Blackfire, I saw this man over hear trying to drug you so I made sure he couldn't. That is all." Blackfire's eyes narrowed as she looked over at the man still clutching is arm. Her eyes started glowing purple as she grabbed him by the throat and threw him across the room. He slammed into the wall with a thud. His friend's eyes were wide open with shock and quickly ran away. SoulBurn was sure one of them had just wet himself. Blackfire seemed to calm down quickly and turned to SoulBurn with a sultry smile.

"Well I guess I owed you an apology for knocking you out before and now I owe you a thank you for making sure those bastards didn't touch me. Stupid males thinking that can try and take whatever they want. It's the other way around, I take what I want."

As she talked she stepped closer to SoulBurn who in turn took a step back. Eventually he felt his back hit the bar and realized he was out of room. Blackfire grinned wider and pressed her body against SoulBurn. He could feel her chest pushing hard into him. She grabbed his hands and before he could realize what she was doing, placed his hands on her backside. They were as close as too people could get right now. SoulBurn could feel the warmth coming off her body.

"You are quite the cute one SoulBurn and I do owe you. I can think of plenty of things I can do to make it up to you." SoulBurn's brain seemed to finally kick in again and pulled his hands off Blackfire and pushed her away slightly. The shock caused her to stumble back slightly but she quickly regained her posture.

"Fine then SB, I guess I'll have to go find someone else to have some fun with." SoulBurn remembered his promise to Starfire and knew that it would be best to take her home now before things really got bad. He placed his hand on her shoulder and in a flash they were gone.

Almost instantly SoulBurn and Blackfire found themselves in the Training room back at the tower. Once again, SoulBurn was confused as to why his powers seemed to be slightly off. He also found it had taken more concentration than usual to transport Blackfire as he had trouble finding her essence to lock on to and instead had to lock on to the source of her powers which was far different than that found in her sister.. Blackfire stumbled upon reappearing and took a few seconds to look around the room to figure out exactly where she was.

"How did we end up here? I thought we were at the club. Oh well, I guess you wanted to spar with me a little before things got going." Blackfire got into a stumbly fighter's stance and started circling SoulBurn. SoulBurn was the next to speak.

"I do not think it would be appropriate to spar with you in those clothes Blackfire."

"I see no problem with them. It covers just as much as Starfire's uniform."

"That would be true but I believe Starfire wears underwear." Blackfire gave SoulBurn a grin.

"So you noticed that when you touched me. I just think that fact would make this more interesting…and fun."

"Please stop Blackfire. We only ended up hear on accident. I meant to take you to the main room and then to bed." Blackfire grinned even wider and SoulBurn cringed slightly at his choice of words.

"That's not what I meant. What I meant was to put you asleep."

"Why did we even end up back here together at all if you were just going to deny me. Explain that."

"I made a promise to your sister that I would keep an eye on you tonight and make sure nothing happened to you. I also promised that if you got out of control I would take you back home to sleep it off so that's what I did." SoulBurn again instantly regretted his words as he watched anger start building up in Blackfire's face. She gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. Her voice came out low filled with venom.

"So my little sister made you do this. I bet you would do anything for my little sister wouldn't you. You would do anything she says wouldn't you."

"I care about her as a sister the same way she cares about you. I probably would do anything for her if I thought it would help her and taking care of her older sister's well being didn't seem like too much to ask."

"Oh nice excuse there SoulBurn. You're just like everyone else I've ever met. Oh Starfire, she's the pretty one. She's so sweet and lovable. Everyone one wants her. Oh but wait, there's Blackfire. She's the outcast, the black sheep of the family. Wasn't it funny how her parent never loved her. Wasn't it funny when she was passed over for next in line to the throne. You're just like all the other guys of this planet. You all are hoping the beautiful princess Starfire will look your way and you'll get the chance to brag about being her first.

"Shut up Blackfire, you don't know what you're talking about." Somehow Blackfire had gotten next to SoulBurn and was now whispering in his ear though with no less malice.

"Or maybe you're helping her out because she already gave it up to you and this is how your paying her back. I always new she would be nothing but a little wh…." Blackfire never got a chance to finish. She suddenly found the strong grip of SoulBurn around her throat as he effortlessly lifted her off the ground. Blackfire stared into two cold glowing blue eyes and almost thought she saw them flash red for a second. SoulBurn squeezed a little tighter causing Blackfire to cough. She could feel his eyes boring into her, going right threw her. This was no longer the person who everyone had reacted so fondly to when he arrived, this was someone different. SoulBurn let out a dark chuckle that didn't fit his voice and spoke in perfect Tamaranian.

"You obviously know nothing of who your sister truly is, but what can I really expect from a soulless monster who has spent her life trying to hurt her." SoulBurn dropped Blackfire to the ground who fell in a heap. Her eyes were wide and lined with tears as if someone had just revealed her worst secret which SoulBurn had somehow known. She managed to stand up, now completely sober.

"Shut up. You have no right to judge me. You have no idea what hell I've been threw and what I had to do to survive, so just shut up." A dark chuckle erupted from SoulBurn, one that sent a shiver down Blackfire's spine. She was afraid right now, truly afraid.

"You think you've been threw hell foolish mortal." SoulBurn pulled off his shirt revealing his body. Blackfire let out a gasp. "I have been to Hell Blackfire, so don't think to try and make excuses to me. Now get out of my sight you soulless bitch." Blackfire quickly turned around and ran, not flew, out of the room. She didn't want to hear anymore. As soon as she left SoulBurn seemed to come to and collapsed to the ground.

"What the hell was that?" He couldn't figure out what had come over him but he did know one thing. He had figured out the reason he could never feel Blackfire's presence. It wasn't because something was wrong with his powers, it because she had no presence. She was empty, soulless. What the hell happened to her?

Meanwhile in another part of the tower, a much happier scene was playing out. Raven had teleported her and Robin back to the tower as they just wanted to be alone. Robin simply put his bike on autodrive to get home by itself. He was currently carrying Raven bridal style down the hallway toward his room. She had claimed she was tired and needed to be carried but in reality she was fine and simply wanted to be closer to him. She nuzzled her face lovingly into his chest.

Ever since she had talked to her Mother, she had felt absolutely perfect. The guilt she had carried with her for so long was now gone and she finally felt like she had complete control of her emotions and thoughts. She had told Robin about exactly what had happened. He was shocked but more than happy to know that she was safe and gotten the chance to see my mother. She told him about what she had learned regarding SoulBurn and he had agreed that there was no way they would kill him. He reluctantly agreed that they would simply wait and see

"Enough bad stuff had already happened to us, what more could happen." That was exactly what Raven had said, very optimistic for his dark beauty, and he really at that moment couldn't argue with her.. Raven realized they had arrived at Robin's door when suddenly a crying Blackfire zoomed by past them paying no notice to their presence. Robin looked like he was about to investigate when Raven spoke

"Lets not ruin the moment Robin. Let's just go inside." Robin gave her a small smile and somehow managed to punch in his code while holding Raven. They entered into his dark room and he gently laid her on the bed. He kneeled on the ground next to her and loved down at her beautiful face and removed his mask. Raven reached up and pulled Robin's mouth to hers. Robin took the initiative and climbed into bed with her really never breaking the kiss. Raven could feel Robin's hands slide up the sides of her body as he kissed her. She was in heaven again. After a little while of making out, Raven pulled away and looked into Robin's green eyes.

"I want to be with you tonight Robin." Robin applied slightly out of breath.

"I'm not going anywhere Raven, I promise." Raven gave a slight blush.

"No Robin, I want to be with you tonight. I want to be with you completely." Robin seemed to contemplate the words for a second before he realized what she was talking about.

"Are you sure your ready Raven. You know I'll wait as long as you need too."

"I always wanted to make sure that the first time we were together I knew it was truly what I wanted. I wanted to make sure I had control over my emotions completely so that it was truly me you'd be with and not some emotional whim. After meeting my mother, I know that I am finally completely who I was meant to be. I love you Robin with everything I am and I want to be with you." Robin looked into her eyes and could see the love and the passion she had for him. He gently caressed her face as he simply stared into her eyes feeling the strength of their connection. He could feel her and she could feel him. He bent down to claim her mouth once more and for the rest of the night, they would give themselves to each other, fully and completely.


	27. Unbreakable Bond

1

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to the Teen Titans so don't even try suing me for the minuscule property I have.

Ch. 27: Unbreakable Bond

Starfire happily floated down the hall. She had so much fun at the club with all her wonderful friends, including Speedy. She was sure she had some feelings for the young man that went beyond friendship. The feelings that stirred within her reminded her of how she once felt for Robin and those feelings made her feel warm. She realized that in a way Speedy was a replacement for Robin as they were in fact so similar in so many ways but the things about Robin that worried her so much, the obsessive nature and the mistrust that always seemed to follow Robin, were not found in Speedy. Starfire had decided she would just take everything slow and make sure that it was truly Speedy she cared for and not still Robin. Speedy was too good of a person and made her feel too good for her to try a relationship with him if she wasn't completely sure where her feelings lied. Right now, she was simply happy to have him around.

She had gotten back late with the rest of the Titan's and said her good nights. There was still one thing she had to do and that was go check on SoulBurn and Blackfire. They had disappeared together at some point in the evening and Starfire had seen her sister slowly getting out of control as was becoming all too common as of late for her older sister. Starfire worried greatly about her. Even though she had come to Earth looking for forgiveness and had helped the Titans in any of the instances in which she was needed, Blackfire had truly never said what made her come back begging her sister to forgive her. In fact, Blackfire had never even made it clear why she had chose to try and destroy her life so many times.

In the end Starfire had so many questions for her sister but chose not to ask them. She would make sure her sister knew that she would always love her and be there for her and would wait patiently for her sister to talk to her. Starfire eventually found herself standing in front of SoulBurn's room, wanting to make sure her newly returned friend was still in one pieace. She quietly knocked but after a few seconds received no answer so she knocked a little harder again. It was at this point that she realized the door wasn't even locked, so she pushed the button to open it. Though it was dark in the room she quickly noticed that SoulBurn was not in there, no sign that he had even returned to his room since he had left with them. Starfire couldn't help but worry slightly.

"Please sister. Please tell me you didn't harm friend SoulBurn when he was trying to help you." Starfire left the room and started walking toward her sister's room. It was best she got answers to whatever happened before retiring to bed. It was not long before she was at her sister's door, and she knocked quietly on it. She received a quiet response.

"Go away. I don't want to see anyone." Starfire was confused immediately...very confused for it almost sounded like her sister was crying.

"Sister, it is only I. I wish to ensure you found your way home. I only wish to talk with you for a few moments."

"Kori…please just go away." Blackfire's voice sounded so sad, so defeated. She had never heard her sister sound like this, not even when she came to Earth to apologize. Starfire was truly worried and knew what she had to do. Robin had given Starfire the manual override code for this particular door just in case something concerning her sister came up and she had decided to use it. She would not leave her sister when she sounded so upset.

"Sister, I am sorry but I am coming in even without your permission. You sound most upset and I must know why." Starfire pushed in the code and the door slid open. Just like SoulBurn's room, it was incredibly dark. Starfire scanned the room carefully expecting anything, allowing her eyes to adjust to the darkness. There was her sister on her bed still dressed in the clothes she had worn to the club. Her back was pushed up against the headboard and her knees were pulled into her chest with her arms wrapped around them. Starfire could see that the black mascara she had been wearing had run down her face, a sure sign that her sister had indeed been crying.

Her sister looked scared, vulnerable, and it was something she had never seen her sister as. Her sister had always been the strong one, the one who never let her emotions get in the way. She never let herself appear weak and here she was looking like a frightened little child. As Starfire looked closer at her sister, she noticed she would not meet her gaze and it almost looked like there were bruises on her throat. Starfire carefully walked forward and sat on the end of the bed slightly away from her sister.

"Sister, what has happened to you? I have never seen you like this. Did someone try and hurt you tonight? Are you upset I asked SoulBurn to watch over you tonight? I am very sorry but you've been so self-destructive as of late I was worried…." Starfire was cut off by Blackfire who spoke very quietly but still refused to look at her.

"Did you talk to him after we left the club Kori?" Starfire was confused why her sister was calling her Kori. She had not called her that since they were children a long time ago. She almost always called her sister or some hurtful name to make fun of her though that had stopped since she had come to Earth.

"No I did not. He was not in his room when I went to find him. Did something happen? Did he not watch out for you as I asked him too?"

"He did as he promised Kori. He saved me from possibly experiencing a very bad thing and took me home when I needed to be."

"I am most glad to hear that sister. I am glad nothing bad happened but then why are you so upset right now. If you don't mind me saying, this behavior is most unlike you."

"I guess seeing me emotional and acting like a Tamaranian is nothing like I usually am." Starfire noticed the slight edge to Blackfire's voice.

"That is not what I meant sister and I apologize if I offended you." Blackfire gave a slight chuckle.

"I know you meant nothing offensive by it Starfire. You never say anything offensive but it is what you meant by your words."

"I am okay with you being different than the rest of our people Blackfire. You are my sister and I will love you no matter what." Starfire was startled when Blackfire finally looked up at her. Her eyes were filled with pain and other emotions that Starfire could not identify.

"You say that Kori and I almost believe it sometimes but you don't know everything about me. What if I told you I still have hate for our parents even now long after their deaths? What if I told you I did something so unforgivable that I shouldn't even be allowed to live anymore." Starfire listened as her sister's voice seemed to almost give out. It was shaky and she could tell Blackfire was fighting back more tears.

"You were right when you exiled me from our world Kori but you should have put me to death. I'm nothing but a monster." Starfire couldn't help but be reminded of a conversation just like this with Raven when they had been held prisoner by Slade right before the end of the prophecy. Raven had said the same exact things that Blackfire was now saying with just as much self loathing and sadness. This was just as heartbreaking for Starfire as she watched her sister continue to breakdown. Starfire cautiously moved closer to her sister and gently placed her arms around her. She felt her sister tense up but that did not stop Blackfire from crying into her younger sister's chest as she continued talking.

"There is just so much darkness and anger still within me Kori no matter how I try to get rid of it. I realized today that there is nothing I can do because I gave up the one thing that could help me save myself. I'm afraid Kori, I'm so very afraid." Starfire held her sister tighter as she felt her sister's arms tentatively wrap around her. This was the only time Starfire could remember her sister embracing her in such a manner. Sometimes it seemed like Blackfire had been against her, her entire existence.

"I'm so sorry Kori. I blamed everything on you and you never deserved that. You were the only one I ever truly had and I treated you the worst yet you still care for me as your sister. I don't think I'll ever understand how you can do it, but I am so thankful that you do."

"You will always be you. I will always be I. We will always be sisters and that fact will always make me happy no matter what." Blackfire pushed slightly away and looked at her sister. Starfire could truly see the doubt and fear in her normally confident older sister's eyes.

"Promise?" Blackfire sounded just like a little kid needing reassurance. Starfire gave her sister a warm smile

"I promise sister. Now go to sleep. We can talk about all this tomorrow." Blackfire smiled for the first time since Starfire had been there. She stretched out her legs and laid down using Starfire as a pillow so that she couldn't get up.. Blackfire mumbled one thing before drifting off.

"Just to make sure you don't leave me." Starfire looked down at her sleeping sister who had a small smile on her face.

"Whatever I need to do to help ease your battered soul my sister." Eventually Starfire drifted off to sleep too, holding on to a sister who was doing her best to come back to her.

The next morning eventually came and Robin found himself slowly awaking. He found his arms wrapped around a small body with her back pushed into his chest tightly. Robin smiled. Her body fit perfectly into his. All the memories of last night had come back to Robin. He and Raven had been together as one being, emotionally and physically. He could still feel her soft flesh touching his still, her state of undress only serving to remind him more of what happened last night. He breathed in her perfect scent, the scent of jasmine that followed her everywhere. She shifted ever so slightly in his arms. Robin gave her a gentle kiss on her shoulder near her neck, and he felt Raven shudder ever so slighty at the feel of the warm kiss on her slightly colder body. It was a sign for Robin that she was now awake. Ever so slowly, Raven turned over until she was facing Robin. Her beautiful eyes held contentment in them that Robin had almost never seen in his dark goddess.

"Good morning Richard. Did you find it necessary to wake me up from such peaceful slumber." Robin smiled at his lover.

"Necessary? No. However, I find its in my best interest to have the chance to stare at your beautiful face as much as possible." Raven blushed ever so slightly but that did not stop her from leaning forward and placing a kiss on Robin's lips.

"You're just lucky I'm in an extraordinarily good mood." Robin beamed at the comment. "I should watch what I say. I really shouldn't be trying to boost your ego anymore than it already is." Raven could feel Robin gently caressing her arm as he stared into her eyes. Raven smiled.

"Though nothing would make me happier than what your thinking, its not going to happen. Despite my control on my emotions, everything that happened last night will require some meditation which I really should get too." Robin was about to pout until he watched Raven throw the sheets off of her and stand up. All he could do was stare at the absolutely perfect, unclothed body of his one and only. Raven could feel his eyes on her as she turned to look at him deliberately slowly giving him a slight wink.

"I suggest you either go take a cold shower or go train or something and burn off all that aggression. I'll be meditating probably all day." Robin could feel his face fall as Raven started laughing to herself as she got dressed.

About half an hour later, Robin found himself dressed in his workout clothes heading toward the gym. He was muttering a few choice words under his breathe as he walked though there was no real reason to be quiet. He and Raven were most likely the only two up as he was almost sure no one else had gotten home till a few hours after them. As he walked into the training room, he was surprised to find SoulBurn on the ground leaning up against the wall seemingly asleep still in the same clothes from last night.

As he walked over he noticed that his body was shaking ever so slightly. Looking at his face, he noticed that his eyes were shifting rapidly underneath his eyelids. He must be having a nightmare and considering what he had experienced, it probably was something beyond anything Robin could imagine. Robin gently put his hand on SoulBurn's shoulder to try and wake him. He was completely caught off guard by what happened next. Faster than he thought SoulBurn could move, SoulBurn was up to his feet grabbing Robin by the front of his shirt. It only took a second but Robin found himself being held off the ground by the taller SoulBurn, staring into two glowing blue eyes and an extended energy blade pressing against his throat, already starting to burn the flesh around it.


	28. Breakfast of Champions

1

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to the Teen Titans so don't even try suing me for the minuscule property I have.

Ch 28: Breakfast of Champions

Robin could feel his heart beating as he stared wide-eyed at SoulBurn. It seemed like an eternity as he was held there less than an inch from death though it was only a few seconds. SoulBurn was panting heavily still from his nightmare and was noticeable confused by where he was. Eventually, the blade retracted and SoulBurn gently lowered Robin back to his feet. The glow in his eyes faded away.

"I'm so sorry Robin. I was having a nightmare and when you touched me I thought it was a demon. I guess I just went with my natural reaction." Robin gently rubbed his throat where there was a small burn.

"Don't worry about it. I'm not hurt and I should have known better than trying to wake you up like that after everything you've been through. Just do me a favor and don't fall asleep randomly in the training room and make sure your door is always locked when you sleep. I don't want someone coming into your room to wake you up and ending up almost like I was."

"I think that can be arranged. Once again I'm sorry about that." Robin gave him a reassuring smile.

"Like I said, don't worry about it. However, you could tell me why you were sleeping on the floor here." Robin watched a strange look pass across SoulBurn's face but it was quickly gone.

"Its nothing major but I would like to keep that information to myself if you don't mind. At least till I settle something."

"I guess I can hold out then. Just try and take care of whatever you need to as soon as possible." SoulBurn nodded in agreement. "Anyways, how about I give you some training clothes and we spar. No powers of course cause I don't think I would stand much of a chance. I've always wanted to fight you, see how good you truly are." SoulBurn smiled.

"I think that is an interesting idea. I too am curious to see how good the famous boy wonder is."

"Just to warn you beforehand, I've trained with the best and I won't go easy on you." SoulBurn returned the arrogant smile Robin had on his face.

"We shall see."

In Blackfire's room, Starfire was wide awake still with her sister sprawled out on her. She had woken up only a short while ago but did not move. Her sister looked so peaceful and she did not want to wake her. One thing Starfire had realized was that there were indeed bruise marks on her sister's throat that looked as if someone had choked her. It was very confusing for her. Someone had to be very strong to bruise a Tamaranian like this and there weren't many people she knew of that could. Also, Blackfire had said nothing had happened last night. Starfire was pulled from her thoughts as Blackfire began to stir. The older girl's eyes opened slowly and blinked a few times as she noticed where she was and seeing her younger sister looking warmly down at her. Blackfire jumped up quickly.

"Hey sis. You kind of freaked me out there. I mean its not a bad thing to wake up seeing your shining face but its just that I'm not used to it."

"It is no problem sister. I am just happy to see you awake and aware."

"Yeah, um, thanks for last night. I really needed you a lot and I just want to say I really appreciate it."

"That is what sister's are for, are they not?." Blackfire couldn't help but smile at her younger sister.

"Yeah I guess it is. Well what I really need right now is a shower so I'm going to go take one if you don't mind." Blackfire began undressing right in front of Starfire, and Starfire's face immediately reddened as turned away as her sister pulled off her top.

"Oh grow up Kori. We have practically the same body and we're sisters. Its nothing big." Starfire began stuttering out a response as Blackfire chuckled at her sister's antics.

"If your uncomfortable you can just leave Kori. I won't be offended."

"Tha…Thank you sister. I…I will talk to you later." And with that Starfire flew out the room toward her own. Blackfire chuckled to herself.

"That girl isn't going to know what to do when she finally starts dating."

About a half an hour later, Starfire was showered and changed into her uniform. She was floating down the hall when she heard some noise coming from the training room. Curious as always, she flew over and peaked just as a body slammed into the wall right next to her. She let out an Eep! making her presence known to the young man standing in the room and the one currently laying on his back slightly dazed. Robin looked up from his position on the ground and noticed very quickly that he was looking directly up Starfire's skirt. A blush crossed his face and he moved his gaze to her bright, smiling face.

"Are you okay friend Robin?"

"Yeah sure Star. SoulBurn and I were just sparring, and he kind of got the best of me." Robin quickly stood up. "Nothing to worry about." Starfire smiled.

"Very good. Good morning to you SoulBurn." Starfire gave a big wave to SoulBurn who gave a small wave back. "I will go make you that special meal from my homeplanet I promised you for that favor you did. I do hope you are hungry," and with that Starfire floated away. Robin turned toward SoulBurn with a smile on his face.

"You may have won this round buddy but at least I'm not going to have to eat anything she makes."

"Shut up Robin or I'll tell Raven about how much you enjoyed your view up Starfire's skirt." Robin's smile immediately fell.

"Please don't. It was just an accident and I didn't even see anything." SoulBurn chuckled.

"Don't worry Robin. Just be happy that particular alien sister wears underwear." It took Robin a few seconds to realize what SoulBurn just said.

"What!" Robin calmed down for a second. "On second thought, I don't even want to know." SoulBurn chuckled again.

"So are we done here or have I not defeated you enough times."

"Yeah yeah yeah. You win this time. I don't know how the hell you got so damn fast or where you learned all those moves and techniques but you're one hell of a fighter."

"I wish I knew where I learned them too but I do pride myself on being better than the rest of you." Robin laughed but couldn't help realizing that the last words really didn't sound like something SoulBurn would say.

In the kitchen, Starfire was happily cooking some Glorbl'tash for SoulBurn when her sister floated in.

"Hey sis, something smells good. Cooking something from back home?"

"Yes Blackfire. It is for SoulBurn to thank him for taking care of you yesterday." A strange look crossed Blackfire's face but ended up forming into a smile.

"Are you sure you can't cook a little for me?" Starfire smiled further.

"Of course sister. I would be most pleased." Starfire turned back to her cooking as Blackfire sat down at the table.

"So sis, I was meaning to ask you about SoulBurn. I mean I've never heard of the guy before and suddenly he pops up out of nowhere, you start treating him like family, and you trust him to watch out for me, not to mention the fact that he apparently knows our planet's language. Mind filling me in?" Blackfire watched as her sister seemed to tense up every so slightly, stopping her cooking. She began speaking but did not turn around.

"There is not much I am allowed to say about him sister and in fact there is not much any of us truly know about him. What I can tell you is that he is a wonderful person. He helped the Titan's out very much about six Earth months ago. He helped make me feel better when I was sad over losing Robin. He is the one that brought back Terra to us, and he also saved me and Raven from the clutches of the very bad man Slade. I guess in a wa you could say he's responsible for saving all of us, including you and every other person in the Universe. He is a very heroic, kind and gentle person that I trust very much. I knew he would keep a good eye on you and would not hurt or take advantage of you."

"Wow Kori, you make it sound like this guy is some type of angel with all the things he's done. Are you sure you can't get into any specifics on how he apparently saved the Universe and me. And where has he been for the past 6 months?" Blackfire had a smirk on her face as she really didn't believe much of what her sister said but did notice that Starfire tensed up again.

"No I cannot sister. I will tell you that he gave everything he could to save us all and paid dearly for it." Starfire turned around slowly and Blackfire was surprised to find a haunted look in her eyes.

"He was taken away to a very, very bad place and I was worried I would never get to see him again." A small smile slowly formed on Starfire's face and her eyes softened. "However, he has now returned to us and I now have my friend back and have the chance to thank him for what he did. I know you may be mad at him for ruining your fun last night but he only did it because I asked him to and he is so nice. If you must be mad at someone be mad at me." Blackfire looked into her sister's pleading eyes.

"Don't worry Kori. I'm not mad at you or him. The guy told me he cares about you like a sister so I can't be mad at someone like that. I just had a lot of questioned about him and was hoping for some answers but apparently you can't give them to me."

"I am most sorry sister. Robin may be able to give you answers but we are under his orders to not say anything about friend SoulBurn."

"It's okay Kori. Now how about getting on that food." Starfire smiled and giggled as she resumed her cooking completely forgetting about how she wanted to ask her sister about the bruises. Blackfire on the other hand had a million thoughts going threw her head. Her sister had not given her any answers that told her how SoulBurn had known her darkest secret. She spoke of him so highly that it confused her by how he had acted when they were in the training room last night. He had not been kind or gentle at that moment. She knew she brought some of it on herself by what she had said about Star in her anger but the feeling she got from him at that moment had been completely different from all others she had gotten from him.

Of course an even larger question was where had he been the past 6 months that would have disfigured his body so horribly. A few dark images went threw Blackfire's head causing her to shiver. She could think of one place...one terrible, cold, dark place.

She was pulled from her thoughts by the sound of other voices coming into the kitchen. She watched as Robin and SoulBurn walked into the room still in work-out clothes talking about fighting techniques. Blackfire had to admit that both Robin and SoulBurn were very attractive, and she always felt a little bit jealous when any of the girls in the tower spent time with the guys so easily why she still seemed to be on the outside looking in.

They were followed in by Beast Boy, Terra, and Cyborg. Beast Boy and Cyborg were once again pointlessly arguing about food. The last group of people to come in were the members of Titan's East who were all carrying their luggage, ready to head back to Steel City. Raven was the only one missing. The kitchen that had previously been quiet was now a madhouse. Blackfire let out a sigh but smiled suddenly when Starfire placed a plate of food in front of her with a big smile.

"Thanks sis."

"You are most welcome. SoulBurn please come try the food I have prepared for you. You will love Glorbl'tash." SoulBurn put on a big smile for Starfire as he came over but couldn't get the fact out of his head that Glorbl'tash roughly translated into squishy ground insect. He could also see Blackfire eyeing him suspiciously as he sat down and it made him slightly uncomfortable. He had to eventually apologize to her for losing control, but he would do that later. He was sure they had a lot to talk about but that could wait until after all the members of Titan's East had left. If she and him would both be living in the same vicinity she had a right to know what had happened all those months ago. He looked at the strange concoction in front of him and then at Starfire's innocent, smiling face. Thoughts drifted through his head.

'I've barely been back and I've already hurt Blackfire and nearly impaled Robin and if I make Starfire frown it would be the worst thing I've done yet.' He gave Starfire a huge smile and dug into the food as the rest of the room watched on in horror.


	29. Looking for a Second Chance

1

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to the Teen Titans so don't even try suing me for the minuscule property I have.

Ch 29: Looking for a Second Chance

The members of Titan's East left at about noon after hanging out for a little longer. Cyborg was the most upset about them leaving because he probably wouldn't get to see Bumble Bee for a while. One would think the house would get quieter after the leaving of the 5 members but thanks to an all out video game battle between Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Robin, the tower managed to stay as nosy as ever.

Eventually fed up with the insults, yelling, and arguing, Terra, Starfire, and Blackfire decided to head to the mall for awhile to relax. They had asked Raven to go but she politely said no because she needed to meditate. The serious tone of her voice made it clear that it was very important.

SoulBurn seemed to take no interest in any of the happenings though he did watch the boys play video games for a while. For a few hours he had been fighting a battle against his stomach to keep Starfire's cooking inside and in the end had been successful. After a few yawns, he realized just how tired he was and decided to go sleep in his room. He had not slept well last night due to being on the floor as well as the nightmares and sparring with Robin had taken more out of him than he thought. It was only 3 o'clock in the afternoon when he crawled into bed and closed his eyes, thankfully not encountering any nightmares or simply his own memories.

The sun had set before the girls finally came home from the mall. Terra had been amazed to see drastic changes in Blackfire that seemed to have occurred over night. The whole time they had been at the mall she had been considerate and overly friendly to her little sister. She had even helped Terra pick out some clothes, never once making a mean spirited comment. Terra wasn't sure what had happened but was definitely happy with this new Blackfire. They were still chatting as they walked in the door.

"Beast Boy is going to go absolutely crazy when he sees you in some of the clothes you picked out Terra. He'll probably drool over you more than usual."

"Yes friend Terra. You will look most stunning. I can't wait for the day I have a special person to show off my clothes to." Terra felt a small smile form on her face.

"Well the way you and Speedy acted last night I'd say that might not be that far off from happening." Starfire's face immediately turned bright red at the comment and she started giggling nervously to herself.

"I do not know what you are talking about friend Terra." Blackfire gave Starfire a small pat on the back.

"Way to go Kori. I had no idea you had the hots for Speedy." Starfire somehow found a way to turn even redder.

"Yeah Star. I think you two are so cute together. If you ever need any relationship advice, I'm sure both me and your sis could help."

"I appreciate that Terra. You will be the first ones I come to if I require such assistance." Realizing they had teased Starfire enough, the other two females simply laughed and placed their bags on the kitchen table. The loud grumbling from Terra's stomach was suddenly heard.

"Looks like its time to eat. Who wants pasta?" The two Tamaranians smiled with pleasure at the idea.

The meal was cooked and eaten as the girls continued to talk about a wide range of topics though none of them serious. They decided to watch a movie and were eventually joined by all the other titans minus SoulBurn, Robin telling them that he had already gone to sleep. Raven even eventually came down to join them and was closely snuggled up against Robin on the couch the entire time they watched.

Though this was not uncommon to see, they did appear slightly more relaxed and comfortable. Robin could be seen whispering things in Raven's ear causing her to giggle which was definitely not all that normal. Watching their interaction, Terra had an idea of what they had done last night and smiled. They were acting just like her and Beast Boy after their first night together. She laughed inside her mind. It was about time. Now maybe they'll both stop being so uptight about so many things.

Eventually the movie came to an end and everyone decided to go get some sleep. It was very noticeable when Raven said goodnight and phased herself away and Robin could be seen running as fast as he could in the direction of her room. Everyone but Beast Boy and Starfire laughed at the action as those two had no idea what was going on. Beast Boy was well Beast Boy and oblivious to almost everything and Starfire was just naïve on that manner. Nobody wanted to try and explain it to her because well what can be more awkward than explaining the facts of life to sweet little Starfire. Blackfire knew in her head that eventually she would have to be the one to do it. If there was ever a reason to get drunk before doing something, that would probably be it.

Blackfire chuckled silently to herself as she started walking toward her room but eventually found herself stopping in front of SoulBurn's door. She didn't know why, but she suddenly had the urge for some answers. She had been planning on trying to subtly obtain information from the Titans over the course of a few days but now she realized she couldn't wait that long and what better way to approach this than by directly going to the source. She knocked quietly on the door as to make sure no one heard her except the room's occupant. Inside, SoulBurn found himself being woken from his dreamless sleep by the sound of someone at his door. The fact that he could not sense anyone there most likely meant it was Blackfire. He let out a deep sigh. She had come sooner than he would have liked.

"Just a moment." SoulBurn pulled on a shirt and walked over to the door and opened it. There as he thought stood Blackfire with a slightly anxious look on her face. She was still in the jeans and t-shirt she had been in earlier which was definitely the most conservative thing she had worn since he had met her. He felt more relaxed around her when she wasn't half naked. Blackfire looked at SoulBurn for a second and walked into his room without so much as a word. She sat on the bed like it was her room and motioned for SoulBurn to sit down in a nearby chair. She certainly was willful. SoulBurn quietly walked over to the chair and sat down. There was a silence for a few moments before SoulBurn spoke.

"I would just like to say I'm sorry about last night Blackfire. I had no right to harm you and yell at you the way I did. You don't have to forgive me if you don't want to but I am truly sorry." Blackfire studied SoulBurn's face and could see the sincerity in it. This was the person that fit Starfire's description. Blackfire couldn't help but stare into his eyes. They were so unusual and she found herself liking them.

"I have a lot to apologize for too. I shouldn't have said those things about you or my sister and I most definitely shouldn't have acted the way I did. I also should thank you for stopping those guys from taking advantage of me. It must be hard to believe but an apparent whore like me is still a virgin and I'm glad you were there to stop me from losing that."

"Do not speak down on yourself. It would upset your sister a lot if she heard you speaking like that and I can't say I like it either very much." Once again Blackfire was amazed by the concern in his voice. Blackfire wasn't used to relative strangers being so kind but then of course it was usually because she wasn't very nice.

"You're right. Now that the apologies are out of the way I came here for some answers. Nobody seems to want to talk about you or what happened before I arrived and the fact that you knew something about me that only one other living being I can think of knows I need to know things. I need to know how you knew about me not having a soul." SoulBurn could see the pained expression on Blackfire's face as she spoke.

"How about a deal Blackfire. I will tell you my story, and in turn you must tell me your story."

"That sounds fair SoulBurn but I warn you that you may look down on me after hearing this." SoulBurn gave her a somber smile.

"I could say the exact same thing. I am partly responsible for a great number of terrible things."

"Well lets hear it SoulBurn. The sooner I know what's going on the better." With a deep sigh, SoulBurn started his tale.

During the course of the tale, Blackfire found herself being completely overwhelmed by what he was telling her. Heaven, Hell, a universe ending prophecy, him being a fallen angel. It all seemed so unrea,l but she could tell by the pain in his eyes that it was true. She also recognized the name Trigon, a name she hoped she would never have to hear again. Blackfire couldn't help but pity this tortured soul in front of her.

Despite all his best efforts, there was still so much blood on his hands. Despite saving every living thing in existence, he was still forced to endure terrible pain and torment beyond anything she could even fathom. She didn't realize until he told her that he had no been joking last night when he truly said he had been in Hell. She realized that her own hellish experiences though horrible, were nothing compared to what he had endured. She had obtained a new found respect for this young man in front of her, a higher respect than she had ever felt toward anyone before. So much tragedy and death followed him around yet he continued to endure.

After everything, he still managed to maintainhis sanity and still was able to find hope in the world, hope in the Titans, hope in her baby sister. In a way she could understand that. Her sister represented hope for her as well, hope for a second chance. Blackfire now understood his vast powers and the connections he had to everything and how it allowed him to see into people's souls. How that power had been exploited for evil but also used for good, how the power allowed him to know her shameful secret. When he finally finished speaking Blackfire wasn't really sure what to say so she said the first thing that came to her mind.

"Well that definitely sucks." She immediately started yelling a herself in her head for saying something so stupid. Now he'll think she's an inconsiderate moron. However, SoulBurn only laughed at her comment.

"Yes Blackfire, that is one way of putting it. It certainly did suck." Blackfire couldn't help but laugh as well. It was nice how he didn't make her feel stupid for what she had said but instead just went with it. She really could see why Starfire adored him so much.

"I am truly sorry for everything you've had to endure SoulBurn. I guess I should thank you for saving me and the Universe but I don't think a simple thank you is enough." Once again SoulBurn laughed.

"Oh please don't turn into the rest of the Titan's Blackfire. I did what I did because it was right and I'd do it again even if I knew what I would have to suffer. I don't need everyone constantly thanking me and telling me they owe me. I would very much just like it if you just treated me like any other superpowered being hanging out in a giant T-shaped tower." Both of them broke out in laughter at his comment. Sometimes they forgot just how weird normal was for them.

"Alright SB. I'll treat you like you aren't the hero of the universe who saved all existence. How's that sound." SoulBurn smiled.

"Sounds good but could you not call me SB. It sounds too much like BB and no offense to Beast Boy, I'd rather not have to be reminded of him every time you say that."

"Alright, no nicknames for you." The two of them eventually settled back into a quiet mood. "Well I guess its time for my story. No one else knows parts of this so I trust that you will keep your mouth shut about anything I say."

"I promise."

"Well this all starts back to when me and Kori were only young children. My parents always favored her after she was born. She was always smiling and everyone loved how sweet she was while I was mostly forgotten." SoulBurn could hear the bitterness in Blackfire's voice toward her parents.

"One day a seer told my parents that Kori should be placed as first-in-line to the thrown because he saw great things in her future while he saw only darkness in mine. From that day on, she was placed ahead of me, given the best teaching, the best clothes, the best toys. I grew angrier with each passing day, however, Kori was the only one who never treated me any differently. She still followed me around like a puppy always wanting to play and hug me. I think that maybe she was the one who kept me sane when everyone else around me was either afraid of me because of my predicted future or would point and snicker as I passed.

Then came that fateful day that still haunts me. I was 6 and my sister 4. Tamaran was at war with another world and an assassin had slipped into the royal palace to kill my parents and their heirs which was me and Kori. I still remember watching my father killed. I still remember right before my mother died, that she pleaded for the assassin to spare her Starfire, to allow her darling baby to live." SoulBurn could see Blackfire clenching her fists as some tears started falling.

"Never once did my mother plead for my life. Never once did she ask that I survive. All she cared about was Starfire, not me. Her last words before she was killed were I love you Kori." The tears were now falling freely from Blackfire's eyes. SoulBurn got up and sat next to her on the bed and gently took her hand into is. She looked up with such raw pain that it hurt to see. Eventually Blackfire calmed down. Her voice was now quieter but still filled with bitterness.

"The assassin came for us next. I remember feeling the gun pushed against my head waiting for death knowing that if would bother no one. However, it was not to be. Starfire's guardian Galfore arrived and saved us both. I remember him taking Kori into his arms telling her everything would be alright while I simply stood in the darkness alone."

"Starfire has never mentioned any of this before. Have you not told her?"

"How come you've never told her about your experiences in Hell?" SoulBurn responded.

"I do not want her to know the horror I suffered. She does not need to know such things occurred. It would only damper her shining light."

"I later learned that Starfire does not remember any of what happened and I guess in a way this was the last nice thing I ever did for her back then. I never told her the events of that night and allowed her to be free of the knowledge I carried. I allowed her to remain innocent and keep that perfect image of her loving parents. The events of that night had a drastic effect on me. Are you aware of how we Tamaranians use our power through certain emotions?" SoulBurn nodded in agreement.

"My life up to that point had embittered me slowly. However, my mother's final actions made me far angrier and hateful then even I thought possible. I desired revenge on my parents though I could never have it because of their deaths. All these raging and terrible emotions ended up leaving me powerless. I no longer could feel the righteousness and other positive emotions I needed to work my powers. It made me even more of an outcast, made me more distant from my sister. I was forced to watch her fly around the palace without a care in the world as I was forced to be firmly planted on the ground. She still wished to be around me and play with me but I only pushed her away. In time I became jealous of my sister, angry at her for having her powers still, angry for her having everything I could not. I started treating her like garbage, calling her names and saying hurtful words. I would cause her to run away crying or hold her head in shame.

Eventually I got so sick of even seeing her that right after I turned 13 I left. I left a planet that could care less that existed, I left a sister who I despised with every fiber of my being. The only things I had were my anger and my hate to keep me going." SoulBurn could feel the pain talking about all these old memories was causing Blackfire. He was impressed that she able to keep going as she did. She was indeed a strong person.

"I flew around the universe for over 3 years never stopping in one place for too long. Eventually I came to a dark little planet of fire. It was there that I met a dark priest who made an offer I could not refuse. He told me he could bring back my powers, give me the strength to have everything I ever wanted, to have my revenge on my sister. All I had to do was offer my soul to a being called Trigon and the power would be mine. I agreed without hesitation. "

"I remember the feeling of my powers returning, how invigorating it was. When I think about it now, I should have been overjoyed to be able to fly again but instead my thoughts were completely consumed by revenge. I was happy, but only happy cause I could now harm my little sister. It took another year to find my little sister's location. She was now living on Earth as a Titan with all new friends and a whole other planet that absolutely adored her. That was when I tried to destroy her the first time. I'm sure you know exactly what I did on both occasions do you not." SoulBurn somberly nodded his head in agreement."

"Even as I was consumed by my anger, I still remember that when I returned the first time, that my sister still welcomed me with open arms. I remember how happy she was to see me again even though I was actually there to ruin her life. I also remember that when I tried to force her to marry and she defeated me in battle, she could have easily had me put to death or even killed me herself. Instead she was merciful and allowed me to go even though she did exile me. I remember her telling me before I was taken away that no matter what she still loved me. I spit at her for that comment, again swore vengeance and only vengeance."

"After being exiled I started becoming very self-destructive. I had absolutely nowhere to go again. I frequently visited the worst of bars, even got into drugs. Getting messed up and then getting into fights was becoming a daily thing. It wasn't long before I landed back in jail only this time, it was far worse. Once again I found myself without my powers as they had special binding that nullified them all." SoulBurn could feel Blackfire squeezing his hand tighter as she continued to speak.

"That prison was so horrible. My cell was little more than a five by five steel box. I would go weeks without seeing light of any kind. Food and water became rare gifts. The guards were absolute monsters, the few times I was even allowed out of my cell was only to be mocked and beaten. Most of the universe does not view the Tamaranian race very highly so they treated me as nothing more than a stray dog. I was afraid to go to sleep for fear that they would come when I was unaware." The tears were once again falling down Blackfire's face and she was now having trouble speaking.

"Then the day came and I knew what they were planning. They were…they were going to rape me. They decided it was the only thing they could do to me to degrade me further. I remember staring at their cold leering eyes as they stood in my cell's doorway. All I could do was curl up as far as I could from them and prayed. I prayed that the one person who still loved me in this universe would come save me. I prayed for Kori to come. In the end, my prayers were answered but in a different way. That particular prison was also the home to a very powerful space pirate and it was at that moment his friends came to break him out. The guards were forced to leave and face the attack.

During the attack, an explosion managed to damage the controls that allowed my bindings to repress my power. I flew out of there as quickly as I could. Normally, I would have stayed and destroyed all of those sadistic guards who hurt me but at that moment, for the first time in so very long, revenge was not my goal. All I wanted to do was see my sister. I realized that I was wrong to blame her for all the things I did. She of all people was the only one who never made me feel less than I was, never said a hurtful word, never stopped caring about me. That is why I returned to Earth and once again my sister welcomed me back with a smile on her face and a hug." SoulBurn could see the small smile that made it to Blackfire's face as she thought of that moment.

"Despite everything, I still had trouble letting everything in my past go. Though I no longer blame my sister for anything, I still carry around a lot of anger toward my parents as well as my home planet. I still find myself being forceful and self destructive and that was why my sister was worried enough about me for you to watch over me. I know I haven't been nice to the rest of the Titans since I've been her and I can't blame them for not liking me, its just been so long since I've been around people like this or even tried to make friends. However, it was last night that you reminded me of my greatest shame. You reminded me of the one thing that I can never escape from, the one thing I can never truly put behind me. I have power now but at the cost of what is supposed to be forever." SoulBurn was surprised when Blackfire hugged him and started crying hard into his shoulder. Not really sure what to do, he just kind of sat there.

"And now after hearing your story I'm so very afraid. I now know for a fact there is a Hell, a far worse place than even that prison I was in. I gave my soul to that monster Trigon and now I'm afraid of what it actually means. All I wanted was a second chance to make things right and now I know that doesn't matter. No matter what I'm going to suffer for all eternity and I'm terrified." Blackfire looked up into SoulBurn's eyes. He could see the raw terror that was in there. The pain and the regret that now wore on her sanity. SoulBurn always found that when he needed to know something, a part of his memories would somehow return and he would understand something he didn't before. Looking into her haunted eyes, he suddenly remembered something from his forgotten past.

"There is still hope for you Blackfire. All is not lost yet." She once again cried into his shoulder.

"How can you say that. You know better than anyone how damned I am." Blackfire was surprised when she felt SoulBurn's arms wrap around her and heard his soothing voice.

"You may be without a soul now but it does not have to end that way. The soul you offered is not Trigon's until after you die but you can get it back. You can redeem yourself and prove yourself worthy of having it back saving yourself." Blackfire tentatively looked at SoulBurn's face.

"How do you know that?" SoulBurn smiled.

"You forget. I was once an angel. I knew a few things most others don't."

"But what can I do to make myself worthy again." Again SoulBurn smiled.

"Just keep doing what your doing Blackfire. Keep loving your sister. Keep trying to make friends and push all that anger and hatred away. Keep helping to protect the innocent. Keep fighting for a second chance because if you do, you will truly get it." Blackfire smiled and her eyes brightened. She had a look of happiness that reminded him so much of her little sister. SoulBurn closed his eyes for a second and thought.

'There is hope for all of us, even me.' SoulBurn was suddenly surprised when he felt warm lips gently press up against his. His eyes shot open and he jumped back slightly only to see a look of sadness cross Blackfire's face and she looked down shamefully.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. I understand why you reacted the way you did." SoulBurn gently lifted Blackfire's face until he was looking into her eyes. He could see moisture forming at the corners of her eyes.

"It has nothing bad to do with you Blackfire. It is just right now after everything you've said and heard you are very vulnerable and it would be wrong for me to allow anything to continue. It would be taking advantage of your fragile state right now and I can't do that." Blackfire smiled a little.

"My sister was right. You are a good guy. So I guess that means you won't spend the night with me." SoulBurn's eyes widened and he blushed every so slightly. He tried to talk but only managed to stutter a little as Blackfire laughed.

"That's not what I meant. I just don't want to be alone right now so I was hoping you could stay with me. It would mean a lot to me." Though at this moment Blackfire had a confident smirk on her face, SoulBurn could see the soft pleading in her eyes.

"I will stay with you Blackfire." Blackfire gave him a soft hug. The two ended up sleeping comfortable with Blackfire's arms wrapped happily around SoulBurn.

Unheard to every being in the universe, a malevolent laugh echoed in the deep recesses of SoulBurn's mind. Hidden within the chaotic mess that was SoulBurn's true self, hidden within the darkness the evil had himself had placed there so long ago, a dark presence waited patiently for his time. He had stowed away in the very vessel that had been responsible for his failure to enter the mortal realm before but blended in perfectly behind the barrier in SoulBurn's mind. The presence couldn't help but laugh at the emotional display between Blackfire and Azrael. It was truly sad when dark beings lost their way. Those two could have voluntarily been on his side but now one would have to die and the other would help him once again whether he liked it or not. The dark presence growled deeply. He should have joined me. He's more like me than that treacherous father of his. The presence calmed himself and returned to waiting. His time would come. His time would indeed come.


	30. Interrogation

1

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to the Teen Titans so don't even try suing me for the minuscule property I have.

Ch 30: Interrogation

Speedy could feel the beads of sweat starting to form on his head. He had fought villains, been through some of the intense training imaginable, and nearly died on numerous occasions but nothing had rattled him more than this moments. He could feel 7 different sets of eyes on him, all glaring, all quietly studying and judging his every move. Six people sat in front of him while one paced in front of him with his hands behind his back carefully contemplating the situation.

Though normally this would be the job of a leader, another was elected to lead this interrogation. He watched as the massive being in front of him stopped as if to say something but instead only shook his head as if disappointed and continued pacing. Speedy began fidgeting in his chair which caused most of the room to smile though a few simply continued to glare.

"So Roy, I can call you Roy can't I?"

"Yes sir." The man in front of him laughed.

"That was more of a rhetorical question. I really doesn't matter what you think at this moment." Speedy only fidgeted again reminding himself in his head that this was worth it. All this was definitely worth it for what he was here for.

"So Roy, I'm assuming your intentions for being here are perfectly honest and pure, is that right?"

"Yes sir." The man in front of him grinned.

"That's a good answer Roy. Now what makes you think you are worthy of this? What makes you think you are good enough?" Roy felt his mouth going dry as he thought about his response.

"Um well I'm a nice guy…" Speedy was cut off by the man in front of him.

"Oh you're a nice guy. Well there's lots of nice guys in this world, hell there's plenty of nice guys in this room. You're going to have to do better than that. What makes you so special that we should allow you to take out our little Starfire on a date? And just to let you know, Raven will know if you are lying." Speedy glanced over at Raven who was sitting comfortable in Robin's lap but still had the same glare she had the entire time he had been here. God that was a frightening glare. He turned back to Cyborg who still stood in front of him.

"Well I'm smart, honest, will always fight for the innocent, will always treat her with respect. I'll do everything I can to make her happy and to make sure she never feels bad." Cyborg interjected again.

"You better treat her like an absolute princess Roy and just for the record she is a princess so you better be up to the challenge."

"I am sir."

"That's another good response Roy. Your scoring some points in my book but that only puts you slightly ahead of Brother Blood."

Roy could feel himself fidget again. No guy could have possibly had to deal with something like this. Heck you expect an interrogation from a father when you come to take a girl out but this was just scary. Four very dangerous older brothers and three very frightening older sisters all glared at him as he sat there. Even Terra and Beast Boy who were normally making jokes and laughing managed to look completely serious. Speedy would occasionally glance at Robin who would only give him a look that meant to say, 'You are so screwed right now.'

"So Roy. Where will you be taking Starfire tonight and I do hope its something good."

"I was planning on taking her to a romantic film that I know she loves and then out to dinner. After that I was hoping to walk with her around the city. It is a beautiful night." Cyborg only chuckled.

"That sounds like a good plan but I highly doubt there will be time for walking around the city. What time do you think we want our little Star home at?" Speedy thought quickly.

"Um 12:00." The entire room burst out laughing with the exceptions of Raven and SoulBurn who remained emotionless. Speedy had barely met SoulBurn but he still got a creepy vibe from him. It had to be the eyes and that scar on his face. His glare was almost as bad as Raven's but Raven had years of practice to perfect her glare thanks to living with Beast Boy.

"Now that was funny Roy. Now how about a realistic answer."

"Umm, 11?"

"Your getting warmer Roy."

"10?"

"That was close Roy but we are more generous than that. You can have until 10:30 with Starfire." Roy nodded his head slowly in understanding.

"Don't you think a thank you would be in order."

"Oh sorry. Thank you sir."

"Why are you just thanking me. You should be thanking everyone." Speedy fidgeted again.

"Thank you all."

"Now that's better. You see Roy, we all like you, well except for Blackfire. I won't mention what she wanted to do to you when she found out you wanted to take out her baby sister because there are children present and I don't want to disturb him." It only took a few seconds before Beast Boy realized Cyborg was talking about him.

"Heh!" Terra jabbed him in the arm to keep him silent but Speedy couldn't help but laugh.

"Did I say something funny? Did I say you could laugh?" Cyborg was about three inches from Speedy's face.

"No sir."

"Well then you shouldn't be laughing. Well I was saying that everyone likes you but before I do that I'd like to check in with our resident empath. Raven, are there any thoughts or feelings that Roy had during this conversation that I should know about."

"Not much Cyborg. He's far too scared for a superhero and I did pick up one impure imagine about Starfire." Speedy's face went white as he watched a few people crack their knuckles.

"Are you serious Raven?" A strange smile crossed Raven's face.

"No Cyborg. I was just kidding. There was nothing he felt or thought that should keep him from going out with Starfire." Cyborg smiled.

"Alright then. Everything should be settled. But I will give you some good advice, if I ever see her cry because of you, I will shove that bow of yours so far up your ass, well lets just say, you'll need a lot of fiber." All Speedy could do was nod his head. As if on cue, Starfire took that exact moment to glide into the room. Everyone smiled at her as she entered. She was dressed in a beautiful dress and looked absolutely gorgeous. Speedy's jaw dropped at the mere sight of her. Raven quietly said something to Robin.

"Now he's thinking something impure." Raven looked at Robin and noticed he was staring directly at her chest.

"So am I." Raven slapped him lightly in the back of the head but couldn't help but laugh at her lover's antics. Starfire began speaking.

"It is so wonderful to see all my family and friends be there to say farewell for my first date. I am most filled with joy right now." Everyone simply smiled at her.

"Are you ready for our date Speedy?" Speedy jumped up from his seat and nervously began speaking.

"Yeah Star. I'm ready. Why don't you say good bye to everybody and we'll head out." All the girls approached Starfire complimenting her on how beautiful she looked. Starfire only blushed and giggled. The guys simply stood behind Speedy with their arms crossed and frightening glares in their eyes. Starfire finished hugging and saying good bye to the girls and waved good bye to all the guys. Speedy walked over. He normally would have placed his hand on her back as he walked out but the eyes boring into him stopped that. He turned around one last time and saw SoulBurn draw a blue blade of energy across his throat to further make all their points clear. Speedy gulped one last time and finally got out the door. Everyone stood there quietly for about a minute before everyone burst out in laughter.

"Did you see the look on his face when Cyborg was yelling at him? It was absolutely hilarious!" Cyborg responded to Beast Boy's comment.

"Yeah and him calling me sir, that was priceless. I probably could have made him jump on one foot if I wanted to." Terra spoke next.

"It was a nice touch when you said Blackfire wanted to kill him. That was cool."

"No Terra, I wasn't joking. You don't want to hear what Blackfire said she'd do to him." Everyone glanced over at Blackfire who had a sheepish grin on her face.

"What. She's my only living family and the best person I know. And you'd be amazed what kind of torture techniques you learn from traveling around the universe all your life." Everyone laughed again while Cyborg turned to Raven.

"And Raven, if there was any better time to make a joke, that was the time. I think he almost wet his pants when you accused him of having bad thoughts about Starfire."

"Hey, he was afraid; its his own fault." Robin put his arm around Raven who was standing next to him and everyone laughed again. Cyborg spoke again.

"We have to do that like once a week. That was the most fun I've had in forever." Robin decided to take this time to speak.

"Sorry Cy but that was a one time deal, unless any of the other girls living here decide to start dating outside the tower." Everyone looked over at Blackfire.

"Why's everyone looking at me? I got my eye on someone." Everyone laughed as SoulBurn blushed deeply. It was always funny to watch someone like him be nervous considering what he had been through. Robin thankfully intervened.

"Alright team. Me and Raven are going to go over some files. I'm asking the rest of you to stay awake until Starfire gets back. I know she'll be ecstatic too see all her friends when she comes back." Beast Boy tentatively raised his hand.

"What is it Beast Boy?"

"Um how come every time you and Raven look at files neither of you end up with clothes on." Before there was any response, Raven pulled Robin into her soul self and disappeared.

"Great way to end that conversation BB. I couldn't have done it better myself." Everyone simply smiled at each other. When the leader is away, the mice shall play.


	31. Quiet before the Storm: A little bit cli

1Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to the Teen Titans so don't even try suing me for the minuscule property I have

Ch 31:

Starfire had come home with the largest of smiles on her face proclaiming that Speedy was the most perfect man in the Universe. She had been so happy to see most of her friends and her sister awake when she arrived home, and she quickly transformed into a whirlwind of giggling, bone-crushing hugs.

She was so happy that she almost didn't notice that one of the couches was missing, a window was broken, Beast Boy had no eyebrows, Cyborg had a very large red bulls-eye painted on his back, her sister was unusually hyperactive zipping around the room, and Terra was occasionally hitting a large black blob next to her with a bat that seemed to occasionally move. It wasn't that she didn't notice all these unusual things its just even she realized that some things were best not known though she did catch Terra mumble under her breath something about lots of caffeine and chocolate and aliens not mixing. The only person who seemed to be the least bit normal was SoulBurn who simply seemed to shake his head and occasionally try to get Blackfire to sit still.

Starfire had gone over the details of the date and all the guys were happy that Speedy had indeed been a perfect gentleman. They were willing to let the good night kiss slide because Cyborg made a point of saying that Starfire watched so many romantic movies she probably would have felt bad if Speedy hadn't given her the expected goodnight kiss.

Eventually time passed and it was midnight and everyone went to their rooms, but not before jamming the black blob down the garbage disposal ensuring it wouldn't be bothering anybody. Blackfire who was far too energetic after consuming somewhere around 10 pounds of chocolate and a case of pop was the only one to stay awake as she decided she needed to go work and burn off all her energy. She tried to convince SoulBurn to spar with her but he wasn't feeling all that suicidal this evening so he had politely declined claiming he was exhausted. The sounds of Blackfire hitting a punching bag could be heard late into the night.

Terra and Beast Boy retired to her room and Terra spent a little while assuring Beast Boy he was still cute even without eyebrows before falling asleep comfortably in each other arms. In Cyborg's room, he decided to make a late night call to Bumble Bee, telling her kind and wonderful things that he would never say in front of the rest of the group. Starfire had changed into her pajamas and regaled Silkie with the details of her date. The little insect only squeaked happily as she spoke. Eventually she settled down and finally fell asleep with dreams of perfect happiness in her head.

In Raven's room, him and Raven were currently laying in bed catching their breaths. Some music had been playing in order to block out the ridiculous amount of noise that had plagued the tower since they had gone up to her room. Plenty of times Robin had wanted to get up and go regulate his teammates who were most likely destroying the tower but Raven had somehow managed to convince him to stay. Heck she probably could have convinced him to try fighting the entire H.I.V.E by himself with the things she was doing. Robin slowly pulled Raven into his arms, smiling at the feeling of her soft, smooth skin. He gently nuzzled against her and he whispered into her ear.

"You are the most perfect being in this entire universe. I never want to let you go. I love you so much." Raven could be heard giggling slightly at the comments.

"I love you too Robin. Always and forever. He gave him a gentle kiss on his lips and the pulled back with a slight smirk on her face. "Well now that proclamations of love are out of the way, I think its time to get back to business." Robin's eyes widened for a second before he relaxed and grinned.

"You are so lucky I'm an exceptional human being." He immediately started kissing Raven's neck who melted at the touch as one final thought went threw her head.

'I'm lucky because I have you.'

It was several hours later that SoulBurn laying in bed, heard his door quietly slide open. He hadn't really been asleep though he was considerably comfortable. It was hard to really fall asleep when he knew what would happen every night. He felt the bed shift as Blackfire climbed into bed. He felt her wrap her arms around him as she arranged herself. SoulBurn could feel her bare legs slide against him which caused him to shudder. He was still a little nervous around intimate human contact. She was still slightly wet, the sign that she had probably just gotten out of the shower after burning off all her energy in the training room. SoulBurn made no move to show he was awake though Blackfire knew he was. As she snuggled closer into him she could feel the slightest of movements. She whispered into his ear.

"Thanks for waiting up for me." SoulBurn turned slightly so that he could see Blackfire's face with a look of worry in his face.

"Are you sure about this? You know what's happened before and I'm afraid something worse could happen." Blackfire pressed her finger against his mouth.

"Shhh. You ask the same thing every night. I'm willing to risk it." SoulBurn smiled ever so slightly.

"Thank you." He kissed her gently on the forehead. As he settled into sleep finally, Blackfire laid awake for about an hour watching SoulBurn sleep. It looked like this would be one of the good nights.

It had been the day after they had revealed themselves to each other that Robin had quietly talked to everyone in the tower. He had warned them to be especially careful around SoulBurn if they were around him when he was asleep. Apparently if SoulBurn was awoken from a nightmare there was a chance he would lash out violently at anyone who woke him up. Robin had first-hand experience with just how dangerous it could be.

It was that very night that Blackfire had found herself awake late as usual and was passing by SoulBurn's door. She was surprised to hear him talking in his sleep in his room, pleading for it all to stop. It almost sounded like he was crying. She had wanted to rush in there and wake him up but remembered what Robin had said. Very reluctantly she went to her room though the guilt she felt prevented her from falling asleep.

It was almost three hours later when she heard a scream that she knew to belong to SoulBurn. She flew as quickly as she could to SoulBurn's room once again hesitating at the door. A second scream of fear and agony erupted from the room and throwing all caution aside, she forced the locked door open with her strength and went it. In bed covered in sweat was SoulBurn thrashing about fighting invisible enemies. The look on his face was one of immense pain as he continued to rant in his sleep.

"Stop! Leave me alone! Ahhhh! I'll kill you Trigon! I swear it! I will destroy you!" Blackfire was simply amazed no one else had heard him. Refusing to let him continue to suffer as he did, she had tried to wake him up. Almost instantly, SoulBurn shot up and Blackfire found herself thrown back by a blast of energy from SoulBurn's hand. She found herself slamming into the metal of the wall denting a good foot into it. Thankfully she was Tamaranian as normal human would have died instantly. Blackfire managed to clear her head to see a now fully awake SoulBurn with a look of complete shock on his face.

"I'm..I'm so sorry. You weren't supposed to try and wake me up. You were supposed to leave me alone. I could have killed you. Why didn't you leave me alone!" Blackfire could almost see anger on his face at his last words. She found her quietly walking over to the shaking young man and gently pulled him into a warm embrace.

"It's okay. I don't care about what you did. I won't let you suffer alone if I can stop it. No one should have to suffer alone."

"But I could have killed you. I couldn't live with myself if I killed another person."

Blackfire pulled away slightly to look into SoulBurn's eyes. She gave him a confident smile.

"You forget I'm Tamaranian. It will take a lot more than that to even scratch me so don't worry about hurting me." Her voice became quieter and more soothing. "Just let me help you SoulBurn. Just let me help you."

That was how it started. Every night Blackfire would come into SoulBurn's room and sleep next to him. She would always be by his side to wake him up when the nightmares would come despite the great personal risk it put her in. In only a week she had already been treated by Raven for a few burns and even a cut across her stomach but never once did she think of stopping what she was doing.

She only knew him for a week but she had so much respect for this great man that she could not leave him alone. After everything she knew he had done to protect those around him, to ensure the continued happiness of so many, he didn't deserve to continue suffering the way he did. As Blackfire finally drifted off to sleep, she could feel a very strange emotion rising in her that up until her return to her sister's side, had been completely absent from her heart.

Eventually everyone fell asleep in Titan's Tower. Each and every person content and happy with their lives. Finally, after everything that had happened to each and every one of them, peace had finally come. It was a single perfect moment for a group of 8 young men and women who had suffered so much. It was a single perfect moment that none of them wished would ever end. However, hidden deep within the mind of their leader, despite everything, paranoia continued to whisper silently to him. It warned him that something terrible would come, that is always would and despite him being as happy as he had ever been, he was starting to believe that voice.


	32. Falling Into Darkness

1

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to the Teen Titans so don't even try suing me for the minuscule property I have.

Ch 32: Falling Into Darkness

Robin stared at the computer screen as he rubbed his temples. He had been at it for 10 hours straight and was nearly positive his eyes were going to melt. Sickness had finally returned to Jump City and Robin once again would stop it. It had taken longer than even he had expected but finally a terrifying criminal that reminded him of the maniacal villains of Gotham had raised his ugly head.

Only two weeks ago the Tower was so full of happiness and now it seemed as if a dark cloud was slowly forming above. The true sickness of the crimes committed had put everyone on edge and they all did their best to help Starfire deal with it all. They were crimes that she could never imagine nor should she ever have too. Four women dead, tortured, raped, then killed. The first one had hit the calm city like a bolt of lightning as it had been so long since any crimes had truly been committed. The second one brought anger. The third one brought fear. The fourth one brought absolute terror.

The Titans along with Blackfire and SoulBurn had done there best to try and find the culprit, patrolling the city every night, trying to find a pattern to the crimes. That was the biggest problem of it all. There was no pattern to the crimes. With Slade there had always been clues and hints within his taunting but this killer left no clues, had no motive. Every women had nothing in common in any way. The crimes seemed to be random acts though it could be seen that it was a calculated mind performing the horrible deeds. The bodies were found with a paralyzing agent in their system that prevented movement but not feel. He would commit his terrible deeds and the victims would be unable to move though completely aware, would feel the pain afflicted on their prone bodies. Robin gritted his teeth and clenched his fists in frustration. Two small hands suddenly were on his shoulders and he felt himself instantly relax at the touch.

"You need to relax Richard. Becoming all obsessive and angry is not going to help catch this monster." Robin turned slightly to stare at the beautiful face of his lover.

"I know Raven. Its just I don't want anyone else to be hurt by this guy. He's truly sick and no one deserves to suffer what he will do to them." Raven looked at Robin with quiet understanding.

"And most of all, I'm afraid the next victim will be one of you girls and I can't let that happen. I won't let my family down again." Raven winced as she felt the strong self doubt from Robin. She pushed back with her own feelings of trust and love and Robin smiled at the action.

"You should go get some sleep Richard. Its late." As if on cue, Robin yawned.

"I'll go to sleep when Blackfire, Cyborg, and Beast Boy get back from patrol. I want everyone back before I rest." Raven only nodded slightly. "There is one more thing Raven. Have you noticed anything strange about SoulBurn lately? We were playing a game of chess and I beat him and he went completely ballistic ranting about how he never loses. Put a three foot hole in solid steel with a punch. It was the strangest thing coming from a guy who's usually pretty unemotional and has never shown signs of an ego."

"I have noticed some strange spikes in his aura lately but I just attributed that to being around Blackfire. Her and him have become very close lately and the strong emotions I've been feeling from him lately when she's around would easily explain the spikes. Flipping out at the game sounds like something Blackfire would do so maybe she's just rubbing off on him." Robin thought about it.

"Yeah that does sound about right. You should see them sometimes Rae. She clings to him like Starfire used to do to me. I even saw them embracing tonight before she went out on patrol. He doesn't show it but I can tell he's a worried mess when she's out there and that worries me slightly." Raven raised an eyebrow.

"Why would that worry you so much?"

"I still remember how angry he got when Slade was hurting Starfire then night we stopped the prophecy. I remember feeling the power he emitted and it didn't feel good. If he and Blackfire are truly as close as we think they are, I don't even want to think what will happen if something happens to her." Once again Raven nodded in quiet understanding then smiled slightly.

"Probably no less than what I would do if someone hurt you. I would so go demonic on whoever was responsible." Robin smiled and stood up.

"You are my sexy little demoness aren't you?"

"And don't you ever forget it." Raven reached up and kissed Robin deliberately slow on his lips before catching his bottom lip in her teeth. Robin's eyes widened as he stared into Raven's eyes which were radiating sexuality. But as quick as it started she went back to normal and stared walking away.

"Once everyone gets back and you finally decide to go to sleep, I'll be in my room." Robin only stood there, eyes still wide open feeling a lack of blood in his brain.

"God I love you so much." Little did Robin know, something terrible beyond comprehension would prevent him from that little rendezvous.

On the streets of Jump City, three superheroes quietly patrolled the night. They had reluctantly split up as Blackfire had convinced them it would speed up the patrol faster so they all could get home. She had made a rather convincing argument laced with a few threats. The streets were empty as most people were too afraid to leave their houses and it was unusually dark as the moon and stars were blocked out by dark clouds. It gave the entire city an eerie atmosphere though it bothered Blackfire little. She had been in far scarier situations before. She had been in far worse situations before. She confidently flew down the streets when she was stopped by what she thought was a low scream from a nearby alley. Reacting on instinct rather than calling the other titans on patrol she flew into the alley. She was about 15 feet in when she felt a small prick on her neck. She reached up and pulled out a steel-tipped dart.

"What the f…" She was cut off as she felt her body grow heavy and she fell to the street. She tried to get up, tried to scream for help, tried to do anything but found she couldn't move. She suddenly heard a small chuckle somewhere around her.

"Ah yes. Another one to play with and this one is very special. It shall be my greatest accomplishment."

Blackfire felt a foot nudge her in the side to turn her over to her back. When she was turned over she could clearly a man standing above her. Though she had only been a resident of Earth for a short time, she understood that the man would be described as completely average looking. There was nothing that stood out about him. Even his clothes were completely common looking. The only thing about him that stood out were his eyes. There was madness within them and it clearly made itself known. The man's voice was quiet and calm and deeplyt disturbed and frightened Blackfire in its tone. She tried in vain to summon her powers, at least move a foot but to no avail. The man pulled out a large knife that was clearly very sharp.

"Yes you are a beautiful one." A malicious smile crossed his face. "I shall make you prettier."

About a block away, Cyborg and Beast Boy met in the spot they had designated to go to when patrol was over. They waited a few seconds but Blackfire still did not arrive. Cyborg used his communicator on his arm.

"Come in Blackfire. Its time to head home. I know you need to be done patrolling by now. You're the fastest of all us." There was no response. "Come on girl. Stop playing around. I want to get home." Again no response. Both of the young men were getting worried. Suddenly, Cyborg watched as a signal on his communicator went out, showing that Blackfire's communicator had been destroyed.

"Oh no. BB! Start searching everwhere you can." Beast Boy immediately morphed into a dog trying to pick up a scent. Cyborg contacted Robin as he ran down the street.

"Robin! We got an emergency! Blackfire is missing. I think something happened to her. Get everyone do to my location right now! Hurry!" Robin could hear the fear in Cyborg's voice and instantly hit the alarm.

While all this was going on, Blackfire was slowly being tortured. She wanted to scream, cry out in pain, but even that was denied to her. Cuts now covered her entire body, her clothes methodically removed. She could feel the blood leaving her body and the cold air nipping at her skin but could do nothing. The man had almost no expression except for a look of intent concentration as if he was painting a masterpiece. Eventually he pulled away and stood up as if admiring his work.

"Almost perfect. Just a few more touches." Blackfire watched in horror as the man started unzipping his pants. Her mind screamed in terror. Screamed for someone to help her. She was crying inside her mind and a few tears managed to make it out of her eyes. 'Please SoulBurn. Please save me.'

Meanwhile at the tower, everyone was gathering in the main room. SoulBurn and Raven were the first two to arrive thanks to their teleporting ability. Both had worried looks on their face when they saw the frantic state Robin was in. SoulBurn suddenly grabbed his head in pain as he felt terrible agony and fear. His eyes widened in terror and he muttered one word.

"Blackfire," and with that he was gone in a flash of energy.

In the alley, the man hovered over Blackfire, only now beginning his terrible act. Suddenly the alley lit up with blue light and the man felt himself being slammed into the wall by the throat. He could feel himself dent into the wall and was sure a few bones had broken due to the force. He only smiled at the pain. It was so wonderful. He looked down at the person holding him and met two glowing blue eyes and one very angry looking face. SoulBurn slowly looked over at Blackfire's bleeding and naked form and a twisted growl escaped from him. The man could feel the grip on his throat tighten.

"You monster. What did you do to her?" The man only smiled.

"I made her beautiful. Don't you agree?" Again the man found himself being slammed into the wall and again the man only smiled.

"You are a true monster." The man giggled like a little kid.

"I beg to differ. I am humanity at its finest. I have embraced every aspect of what we are and have found perfection." Again the man could feel the grip on his face tighten. Hatred, rage, disgust and anger. All these emotions continued to build up within SoulBurn. The man looked on in confusion as blue energy began outlining SoulBurn's form. The energy slowly changed to black then red then back to blue. The man could see that SoulBurn was obviously fighting some internal struggle.

"I would like to say though, I truly did enjoy her. I feel flattered that I got the chance to take her innocence." That was the last straw. True, unadulterated hatred spiked within SoulBurn and in a single moment, the barrier that separated the chaos of his mind shattered.. However, it was not Azrael that took control but a far darker being. The man in front of SoulBurn watched in confusion as four burning red eyes formed on SoulBurn's face. A dark chuckle erupted from him that even caused fear in this twisted excuse for a human being. The voice that spoke was chilling yet horrifying at exactly the same time.

"You are not perfection foolish mortal. I am perfection. You are nothing to me." Again the dark laughter filled the air. "But I should thank you. You have helped free me into the mortal realm, returned my heavenly powers to me after eons beyond remembrance and to show my gratitude, I shall allow you to be the first mortal to truly die at the hands of Lucifer, Lord of all existence."

The man watched as a twisted smirk formed on the being in front of him as the hand squeezed around his throat. The sounds of bones beginning to snap echoed the night and eventually everything gave way to the crushing grip. The fact that the man's head even stayed attached to his body due to the force was incredible. Lucifer, now in control of SoulBurn, tossed the dead body out into the street, the sound of it sickening slam into the pavement echoed through out the night. Lucifer's burning gaze turned toward the form of Blackfire whose eyes were open wide in fear and confusion.

"You truly are a beautiful creature. You could have served me well but you decided to have hope and tried to regain your soul. Foolish mortal." Lucifer slowly approached the still form. "You will die now soulless one and with your death on Azrael's hands, he will only embrace the darkness more and will forever be lost. He really does love you." Lucifer spit as if just saying the word disgusted him.

"What a pathetic emotion. In the end all it did was allow me freedom." A blade of blue energy extended down Lucifer's arm. There was a slight red outline to it. "Good bye Blackfire. Have fun in Hell. Everyone else in the universe will be joining you soon." Blackfire stared on as the blade approached her heart but watched as it stopped. She watched as the four burning eyes flashed to two blue ones for just a second but then returned back to reddish-orange. Lucifer pulled back and stood up.

"Actually I'll let you live for now. You might enjoy watching me destroy your new little family, oh yes, and Starfire...she will be most especially fun for me." And with that the dark being walked out of the alleyway. Tears were no flowing freely from Blackfire's eyes as she slowly regained the ability to move. In her mind, there was one phrase.

'X'Hal help us all.'


	33. It Can Only Get Worse

1

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to the Teen Titans so don't even try suing me for the minuscule property I have.

Ch. 33: It Can Only Get Worse

Lucifer casually strolled out of the alleyway with a simple grin on his face. He looked around the dark night and spotted a green dog and a half metal man running toward his position. As if planned, a black raven suddenly appeared in front of him depositing the rest of the heroes of Jump City. When they all finally gathered, they stared at the sight in front of them. The little Tamaranian in pink was the first to speak. Oh how he hated her.

"SoulBurn?" Lucifer only grinned at her question and slowly shook his head. He could feel his daughter's eyes upon him, taking in his presence. She may have had some use before but now she was nothing but another insect that would be crushed. A grim realization dawned on Raven as she finally knew what stood in front of them.

"Hello Father." All of the Titans felt a chill run through their body at the words and felt themselves shudder as a dark voice came from the body of SoulBurn.

"Good job Daughter. It is flattering that you would recognize me even in this body. How has my little girl been doing? I mean its only been a few months which to me is not even a blink of an eye but I really have missed you." The voice was filled with malice and sarcasm. Robin protectively moved closer to Raven with a birdarang in his hand. It was Starfire who spoke next.

"Where is my sister? What have you done with her?" Lucifer laughed darkly at the question.

"Oh she's laying bleeding and naked in that alley behind me but I didn't do anything. That murder suspect of yours is lying a few feet over there nearly minus his head though he did get to Blackfire before I intervened. Honestly you should all be thanking me. I solved your little problem. How about a parade?" Starfire could feel tears welling up in her eyes. Right now she didn't know if her sister was dead or alive and something was terribly wrong with SoulBurn. Frantic thoughts raced through her head. It was supposed to be over. They had stopped the prophecy. SoulBurn had already suffered enough. Her sister had finally come back to her. This shouldn't be happening! Robin was the next to speak, trying to sound confident though his voice came out just a bit shaky.

"I really don't care what you think but one way or another you're not leaving here. You will let SoulBurn go and then we will send you back to Hell." Again Lucifer only laughed.

"Foolish, pathetic mortals...to think you would even stand a chance against me. I finally have the power of heaven again flowing in me after so long. I am finally free to carry out my revenge, free to make this Universe mine! Do you think I will allow you to take that from me!" The waves of anger could be felt flowing off of Lucifer and everyone could feel themselves being pushed back by it , though Robin managed to stand firm.

"I repeat, let SoulBurn go." Lucifer only shook his head smiling as if he was dealing with an ignorant child.

"Are you really that stupid to have no idea what Azrael truly is. The being you know is a fake. Azrael was never meant to fight against me. In fact, he is me in a way. Long ago I envisioned a way to bring perfection to this universe all seen with my grand sight. I even eventually engineered my exile from heaven and imprisonment in Hell to make it happen. Azrael was a part of it all since his birth more so than you my dear daughter. I small piece of my essence was placed in him shortly after his creation, too small to be detected. Over the countless centuries, it slowly grew, merged with his essence, became a part of him. It was all part of my grand plan. He became exactly what he was supposed to...hee became just like me." The last words were said with a sinister grin. Beast Boy whose eyes were wide open spoke next.

"I don't know about the rest of you but how the hell can SoulBurn be centuries old? It doesn't make sense." Another dark chuckle echoed into the night.

"You mortals really don't know anything. Azrael is far older than the dinosaurs that once walked on this planet. However, it is only recently that he was cast from heaven by his very own father, the same fool who refused to see the glory of my vision. The same fool who turned against me when he once called me friend. The one who could have stood beside me as we ruled over a perfect universe.

In the end he paid the price for resisting me. I destroyed his soulmate and corrupted his child without him knowing, carrying the knowledge that it would be his decisions that would ultimately allow my escape, knowing that everything he did to me would allow me to accomplish my ultimate goal. However, there was one mistake, one even I did not foresee. Azrael was cast into the mortal realm by Heaven to learn to appreciate all life, his father would never send his own son into Hell. He hoped he could still save him from the darkness within, the darkness I had placed there though he did not know that. He was supposed to learn humility and to respect the balance of all things, stripped of all his power to live as one of you lowly creatures. This was what I had waited for, for so long, what I had envisioned so long ago.

Before being cast from Heaven myself, I had placed a spell that would allow Azrael to retain his powers when he was cast down. All I had to do was wait for it to happen but when it did something even I did not see occurred. The spell did allow him to retain his power, the power of heaven I needed to help break the seals on my prison, but it locked away his memories, blocking Azrael's true self, the one who would have stood by my side as we destroyed Heaven itself. Instead an amnesic mortal with the pathetic instincts of an angel was created. It forced me to have to work through other means to acquire my release but you all know what I am speaking of." All the Titans looked on with wide eyes. So much was being revealed but in the end it only raised so many more questions.

"Instead of being my greatest ally he turned against me. He stopped my release into this world, one mistake prevented my plan from being fulfilled." Anger and bitterness could clearly be heard in Lucifer's voice.

"In the end I still took Azrael to Hell with me and he suffered pain beyond description, pain for his flawed decsions." Again a sinister smile graced SoulBurn's possessed face though it was clear he was not done talking.

"It was then that I realized as a living mortal he could enter back into the mortal realm, it was then that I realized how I would truly win. Over time I pushed my way through the barrier in his mind, placing myself within the chaotic mess that is Azrael. When he came back to this realm, I came with him. All I needed was for him to feel such rage and hatred that it would allow my presence to be embraced, to break the barrier and give me control of his body, his power. His pathetic love for Blackfire and the work of that worthless garbage on the ground over there provided what I needed and now I am free. I am free to destroy this realm. I am free to have my revenge on all my enemies in the high heavens and I will do it using the power they took from me so long ago. I will do it using the body of the son of their highest member and I will destroy them all!"

The evil radiating off of the being in front of Raven was almost overwhelming her. Blue energy as well as fire seemed to be pulsing around him, and it frightened Raven. She knew he had all of SoulBurn's power but she also knew he had the powers of Hell as well, the powers that Slade once wielded against them. She knew there was little hope of defeating this new threat.

"Oh and here I am ranting about things that really won't make much difference to you since you will be dead soon. I guess I should at least properly introduce myself." The burning eyes seemed to burn darker as they glared at the Titans.

"I am the Fallen angel Lucifer, formerly great seer of Heaven. Known in this realm as the devil, Satan, and even Trigon by those worthless Azarathians. Bow to me for I am your new God." The ground started cracking around him as energy pulsating from his body, his dark laughter tainting the very air around him. Raven grabbed Robin's hand squeezing it tightly. He squeezed back for it was the only thing he could think of to do. His entire mind was numb as what they were facing truly settled in.

He knew his hopeless thoughts mirrored Raven's thoughts. They both knew that they were fighting a darkness beyond comprehension and most likely would die, but they both knew they would fight anyways. They would try and find a way to free SoulBurn from the darkness that controlled him. After what he had done for them, they owed him that much, to at least try and save him. It was just like with Terra. They knew that none of them could kill their friend no matter what had been done or would be done. Known of them could pull that trigger even if it needed to be done. Even when they had all their weapons pointed at Terra as that rock hovered over Beast Boy telling her she would die, all of them knew they couldn't destroy someone who they knew not to be in complete control of themselves. Robin was surprised when the energy around SoulBurn's body dissipated. He almost thought he saw a confused look on the dark face of Lucifer though whatever it was, was quickly gone.

"On second thought, I won't destroy you right now. I like knowing that if I let you live longer, you'll only be filled with hopelessness and dread. Those feelings are like music to my ears." Another malicious grin graced Lucifer's face. "I will give you until tomorrow afternoon. I'll be waiting on this exact spot for you. You can be my warm-up. It has been a very long time since I've fought anyone and I could use the exercise."

Lucifer slowly turned around and walked away whistling a happy tune. All the Titans could do was watch as he disappeared into the night. Starfire immediately flew into the alley looking for her sister. A cry of anguish ripped through the night. She came out carrying her sister's bleeding and naked body screaming for help. Raven ran over and began using her healing ability on the prone form of Blackfire. Raven gave Starfire a small smile.

"She's alive Star. She's hurt but she's alive. We need to get her back to the infirmary." Starfire gave Raven a small nod as she could feel the tears already streaming down her face. Starfire, Raven, and Blackfire disappeared into the blackness of Raven's power flying toward home. The rest of the Titans who were still standing in the exact same spots, finding themselves unable to move, finally turned to look at Robin, hoping that he would say something. Robin could feel the eyes on him but did not immediately respond. His mind was having trouble focusing on one thing but eventually it slipped into leader mode just enough for him to issue some orders.

"Cy, I want you to contact Titan's East. Tell them to get here as soon as possible. We could use all the help we can get." Cyborg gave a nod of understanding. "Beast Boy, you're coming with me. We're going down to the police station. We need to tell them that the city is in danger at that everyone needs to be evacuated right now. I have a feelings things are going to get messy so we need to make sure the innocent bystander factor is removed. Terra, go back to the tower. I think you will be needed there more than here right now." Terra gave a grim nod in understanding of what he meant. Everyone slowly started moving, starting on what they needed to do but never once being able to shake the feelings of impending doom still hearing Lucifer's dark laughter in their heads.


	34. Recovering and Loving

1

Ch 34: Recovering and Loving

Starfire, Raven, and Terra sat around Blackfire in the infirmary. She was lying in bed in a state of rest. Raven had healed the many cuts that had littered her body and once again her skin was its flawless self. They had put a white gown on her which only served to make her look even more pale. Starfire had sat by her sister's side the entire time, holding her hand tightly, occasionally breaking into a quiet sob when her sister's body would shake slightly as whatever was going through Blackfire's head scared her.

Raven floated in the air in her lotus position trying to meditate but the waves of emotions coming off both Starfire and Blackfire were making that near impossible. Thankfully, with Blackfire not being awake, her emotions were slightly dulled. Raven did not want to feel the full extent of what was going through her. Feeling Starfire right now was bad enough. It was painful to feel the normally cheerful alien girl so sad, so depressed, so without hope. Raven slowly opened her eyes to gaze over at Terra who was sitting quietly next to where she floated. Both of them were a few feet back from the two sisters, providing them some private space. Terra's face was emotionless though Raven could feel the worry coming off of her. It was the same worry she felt from everyone in the tower, well everyone except Robin.

Her lover had closed off his mind to her, something he only did when he was brooding in his room. Something he only did rarely since they had been together but still on occasions it occurred and this was one of those occasions. Beast Boy and Cyborg were both easy to find in the tower because they both were radiating enormous amounts of guilt for allowing Blackfire to be alone this night, for allowing such a horrible act to occur to her. It was the same guilt that at one time had plagued almost all the Titan members, the time after the ending of the prophecy. It was a dark, heavy burden that the two young men now carried with them. Raven was pulled from her thoughts by a soft gasp from Starfire and rising feelings coming from Blackfire.

"She has squeezed my hand. I believe she is waking up." A quiet joy could be heard in Starfire's voice. Raven watched carefully as Blackfire's eyes slowly fluttered open. Raven could immediately see a very distant look in her eyes though a small smile made it to her mouth when she looked up at Starfire's smiling face. The voice that came from her was surprisingly strong.

"Hi Kori. This is the second time I've woken up to your shining face. It really is a nice thing to see when you wake up." Starfire could feel a few tears escape her eyes as she squeezed her sister's hand.

"How are you feeling sister?" Starfire spoke gently, doing her best to sound soothing. Blackfire seemed to think about the words for a few seconds and turned her head so that she was staring up at nothing. This time the voice that came out was softer.

"I'll…I'll endure." Raven understood the response perfectly. After everything that happened, that was really all she could do, something Terra understood as well. Blackfire turned her head again back toward Starfire. Her voice had regained some of its strength though it was filled with concern.

"Where is SoulBurn? Tell me what happened to SoulBurn?" Starfire slowly turned to look at Raven, the best person in the room to explain what had happened.

"My father has taken control of his body and with it, SoulBurn has been lost to a great darkness. Apparently my father was hidden within SoulBurn's lost consciousness and was released by all the hatred and rage SoulBurn felt toward the man who hurt you. I'm not exactly sure where he is right now, but my father in possession of SoulBurn's body and power has given us until tomorrow afternoon before he will start his destruction of everything. We will have to meet him to prevent this...there is no other choice. We will have to battle Satan himself to save all life." Raven let out a deep sigh.

"It is a very bleak situation indeed. In fact, I'm just amazed any of us are still alive right now. My experience with my father having a part of him inside me all my life is that had he been released, he would have wasted no time in reigning destruction upon the universe. It is strange that he would give us time to prepare ourselves, to evacuate the city, to save you." Raven was surprised when a small smile crept on to Blackfire's face at her last few words and felt a strange feeling of hope coming from her form. The next words spoken by Blackfire were strong, containing most of the confidence they had all come to expect from Blackfire.

"Raven, could you go get Robin. I would like to speak to him about something." Raven gave a nod though she was confused by why Blackfire wanted to talk to their leader. She quietly floated out of the room toward Robin's location.

Robin sat in the dark of his room at his desk staring at a particular object in his hands. The object was his private shame, a piece of his past that reminded him of all the terrible mistakes he had made yet he had been unable to rid himself of it. He had been unable to leave that guilt behind so the object had remained behind, though there were other reasons for him keeping it.

He quietly studied the object in his hand this time with a different purpose as he thought about what the Titans were up against. The true scope of what he was thinking about was slowly starting to sink into the most rational parts of his mind though it did not make it any easier to think about. His brooding was interrupted by a quiet knock at his door and somehow he knew it was Raven. Though he had closed his mind from her ever since he had gotten back from the police station, he knew it was her by the sound of the gentle knock. Only Raven knocked like that.

He placed the object back in its hidden compartment in his room and walked over to the door. It opened with a quiet swoosh revealing the small form of Raven. Robin couldn't help but smile at her. He sometimes forgot just how tiny she truly was. Robin allowed a few happy emotions to leave his mind as he stared into Raven's eyes and got the reaction he hoped for. The emotionless look on his girlfriend's face turned into a small smile as she felt what he was feeling. They simply stood there for nearly a minute simply staring lovingly at each other. Raven was the once who broke the trance they both were falling in to.

"Blackfire is awake." Raven noticed that Robin's face immediately turned into one that looked like he wanted to ask a question but couldn't figure out which one he wanted to ask so Raven helped him out.

"She is dealing well with the situation, better than one would expect. She has asked to speak with you."

"Why me?"

"She did not say but I had the feeling it was important." Robin gave a small nod. The two started walking down the hall, side by side toward the infirmary. Robin was surprised when he felt Raven's small hand grab onto his. He didn't say anything but simply enjoyed walking hand-in-hand with his love.

The two walked into the infirmary and saw Starfire pleading with her older sister who seemed to be trying to sit up.

"Please sister. You should not be trying to move." Blackfire seemed to dismiss Starfire's words as nonsense and once again tried to get up but found her sister holding her down. The struggle stopped when Blackfire realized Robin had arrived.

"Is there something you needed to tell me Blackfire?" Though it went unsaid, Blackfire could tell even with the mask blocking his eyes, that Robin was wishing her well and was filled with concern. Robin and Blackfire never really expressed emotions to each other as both were very private when it came to them but this was just another instance of the quiet understanding they had. He would not directly ask her emotional state or about her well being in a room of people, but he would find a way to let her know he cared.

"Yes there is Robin. Something very important. When I was being attacked, SoulBurn arrived to save me but as you know, a dark presence overtook him." Robin nodded slightly.

"I knew when it happened exactly who it was, remembering SoulBurn telling me of the 4 burning eyes of Trigon that would haunt him forever. That monster mocked me and then…then tried to kill me."

"How come he didn't?" It was a simple question but one could tell Robin was very curious for the answer.

"It was only for a moment but I saw those terrible red eyes disappear and saw SoulBurn's eyes return. It happened right before he tried to plunge a energy blade through my heart." Robin's eyes widened at this information though Blackfire continued speaking. "It was SoulBurn who saved me from the monster controlling him. SoulBurn is not lost completely. He was fighting against Trigon to save me and he won. He's the only reason I am still here." Raven was the next to speak.

"Everything makes sense now. That is why my Father didn't destroy us when he had the chance. SoulBurn's essence is continuing to wield some influence over my Father's decision. SoulBurn is still trying to protect us, giving us time to formulate a plan, to save the innocents of the city." An unusual amount of excitement was coming from Raven.

"When Raven said that the situation was slightly strange, I knew exactly why. I knew that SoulBurn continues to fight against Trigon. That is why I wanted to talk to you Robin. I want to ask you to promise me something." Robin noticed a very strange look in Blackfire's eyes.

"I want you to promise me that you will save SoulBurn. I want you to promise me that you will find a way to free him of Trigon's influence. He needs to be saved. He deserves to be saved. Please bring him back to us. Please bring him back to me." Robin was surprised by the rare emotional outbreak by Blackfire but understood exactly what she was feeling. This was the same mindset he had about Raven when her father threatened to overtake her. During that time, he never gave up on Raven, never once contemplated killing her to stop the prophecy. He knew that Blackfire was asking him to do the same for SoulBurn. She really did love him. Everyone turned to Robin awaiting his response. A very genuine smile formed on his face.

"I promise that I will save him Blackfire. I will make sure you get a chance to see him again, but I ask you one promise as well. I ask you to rest for now. I ask that you take it easy and allow us to fight this battle. A lot has happened to you and I don't think you will be able to handle any fighting right now." Blackfire seemed to grimace slightly but then smiled.

"Sure Robin. I promise I'll stay here." However, in Blackfire's mind, she knew this was one promise she would not keep. The conversation was interrupted by Robin's communicator beeping. He pulled it out and Cyborg's face appeared on the screen.

"Hey Robin. Titan's East should be here in about two hours. You should be ready to brief them on what's going on." Robin's eyes widened in shock.

"What time is it?"

"Its 3 in the morning Robin. I guess time flies when you have a lot on your mind."

"So little time left. All right Cyborg. I'll be ready. Robin out." Robin put his communicator away and let out a deep sigh. He looked around the room at everyone's faces and stopped on the beautiful face of Raven.

"So two hours then." He slowly walked over to Raven and picked her up throwing her over his shoulder. She let out a surprised yell.

"What are you doing Richard?"

"I've got two hours before I have to explain to 5 of my friends that they will be fighting against Lucifer, who is in fact the devil himself, who is in control of another Fallen angel Azrael who is in reality our friend SoulBurn that saved the universe once before. I've decided that before I have to do that, I want to spend the next two hours in my room with the most important person in my life who I love more than anything and I don't know why but I always wanted to carry you like this."

"Could you turn me so I can look at our friend's Richard?" Robin complied. Terra, Starfire, and Blackfire all looked at the emotionless face of Raven.

"I'd like to take this opportunity to apologize to you all. I have a feeling we are going to be very loud and I hope it does not disturb anyone's time to relax." Smiles slowly formed on all the girls face except Starfire who seemed slightly confused. Blackfire was the next to speak.

"Oh I believe that is to be expected. Have fun Raven." Terra giggled at the response and Raven smiled wider.

"Oh I intend to. Now onward to your room my beloved." Raven slapped Robin on the backside like one would hit a horse to get it going. Robin jumped slightly from the impact.

"As you wish mistress." Raven gave a small wave to her friends as Robin ran out the room with Raven still over his shoulder. Starfire spoke next.

"Those two are a wonderful influence on each other. Before they coupled, they both were far too serious. Its nice to see them being playful. I wonder what they will do in Robin's room?" Terra and Blackfire's eyes almost popped out of their heads.

"Um yeah Star. I'd love to explain that but…well um…me and Beast Boy have to…yeah…laterz." And with that Terra was sprinting out of the room leaving a confused Starfire and her older sister who had pulled the sheets over her head. Starfire turned at her sister confused by her behavior.

"Sister, why are you hiding under the covers?"

"Blackfire is not hear right now. Please leave your name and message and I'll be sure to get back to you." Starfire giggled and clapped her hands together.

"You are being playful as well sister. I am glad to see you in such a mood." Blackfire slowly removed the sheet from her head and stared at the bright shining face of her little sister and smiled.

"You really are something else, you know that Kori." Starfire was again confused.

"How can I be something else other than me?" Blackfire smiled more and grabbed her sister's hand and squeezed.

"I really do love you sis." Starfire squeezed back.

"I love you as well sister. Now why don't you tell me of how you and SoulBurn have fallen in love. Was it like in the movies that I love to watch?"

"Well I can't really go into everything, but I think I have a few stories that you might enjoy." The two sisters spent the next two hours smiling and laughing.

After two hours, the members of Titan's East finally arrived. They were greeted at the door by the six members of the original Titans. Robin, Raven, Terra, and Beast Boy all have very satisfied looks on their faces. Starfire was extremely happy and hopeful despite everything that had happened and ran over to Speedy catching him in a surprisingly gentle hug. Cyborg immediately ran up and picked Bumble Bee up in a tight embrace. She quickly returned it and gave him a quick peck on the lips. After everyone settled down Bumble Bee began speaking.

"So what's the deal Sparky. Why was it so urgent to get us all out here? I heard that you guys evacuated the city. Is Brother Blood up to something major or what?" Cyborg scratched his head nervously not really sure what to say but fortunately Robin intervened.

"Why don't we all sit down. I have quite the story for you all and I think it would be best if none of you are standing up. The members of Titan's East were confused. What could possibly be that shocking?" They had no idea.


	35. Unimaginable Reality

1

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to the Teen Titans so don't even try suing me for the minuscule property I have.

Ch. 35: Unimaginable Reality

The members of Titan's East stared at Robin as he finished speaking. Each one of them was noticeably paler and it almost looked like Mas was going to be physically sick any moment. The whole room was completely silent as the true reality of the situation hit Titan's East like a ton of bricks. Eventually Bumble Bee managed to pull her mind together to speak.

"So your telling me we are going to fight Lucifer to save the entire universe and all existence?" Robin grimly nodded.

"And your telling me that he's in control of SoulBurn's body who happens to be a fallen angel himself?"

"Mostly in control of SoulBurn. Not completely," was Robin's response.

"Yeah and are main goal now is to save SoulBurn so we have to be careful we don't kill him in battle though he probably won't hesitate to cut us in half."

"That is correct."

"And we also only have about what, 6 hours before we have to go do battle."

"That sounds about right." Bumble Bee stared at Robin who in her mind was handling all of his far too well.

"And what makes you think we have any chance of surviving this. I mean we're up against friggin Satan who's in control of a guy who took out a super powered Slade. How the hell are we supposed to stand up against that?" Bumble Bee's voice raised considerably venting the fear and frustration that was building in her. Robin did not say anything knowing she had every right to act this way.

"I really don't know Bumble Bee but the fact of the matter is we have too. We have no other option but to fight and win, or everything will fall." Bumble Bee let out a deep sigh of frustration.

"So does this guy have any weaknesses?" Robin nodded his head slightly.

"I know of two things that may help us in battle. As I said earlier, the use of SoulBurn's power takes a toll on his body, it hurts him greatly to use his powers too much. Now I don't know exactly if that has changed since Lucifer's emergence in him but it may be the advantage we all need. If we can force him to use his powers over and over again, it may cause him to weaken significantly. The other important fact is that Lucifer is not in complete control of SoulBurn. SoulBurn is still fighting the darkness that is trying to fully consume him. He could have already tried to destroy us but he hasn't and hopefully he won't be able to do it now.

"So we're not completely sure about anything. All we have is hope in that he won't be able to destroy us all." Starfire surprised everyone by speaking.

"I believe hope is all we will need." Everyone stared at the alien girl who had a warm smile on her face. It was definitely a calming sight for the entire room.

"So um, how's Blackfire doing? Is she all right?" Starfire's eyes softened at the mention of her sister.

"I believe she will be fine once we return SoulBurn to her." All the members of Titan's East nodded their heads in a quiet understanding.

"So I guess we should discuss some strategy huh?"

The only sound in the quiet infirmary was a soft sob coming from Blackfire. She was still very exhausted from her ordeal and despite Raven's healing touch, she still felt some pain in her body. She had fallen asleep for a few hours after talking with Starfire but now was wide awake after having a horrible nightmare. She tried to fight back the tears but found that it was impossible. The nightmare had been horrific. Her ordeal had been played over again in her mind, and just as before, she had been unable to do anything to stop it. She could still feel the man's knife slicing into her body even though the cuts were gone and the man was probably still laying dead in the street. She wrapped her arms around herself as she shook every so slightly feeling a nonexistent chill. The worst part of the nightmare had been that it had not been that sick bastard hurting her but rather SoulBurn.

She again fought against the images that were still lingering in her head, trying to banish them from the surface of her mind. She so badly wanted to see SoulBurn but these images in her head were far from what she wanted to see him as. She knew he would never hurt her like that.

She was so worried about him. She needed him now more than ever, to remind her that things would get better but right now he was as far away as he could. She felt more tears forming in her eyes. Damn Lucifer! Why wouldn't he just leave SoulBurn alone. Why did he have to keep suffering? Blackfire knew that the only reason she hadn't been completely overwhelmed by what happened to her was because most of her time was spent thinking of SoulBurn. She would truly face what had happened when he was back holding her, making her feel safe. Blackfire noticed the door opening slowly as her little sister peaked her head in. She had a strange look on her face.

"What is it Kori?" Starfire smiled slightly.

"I…I have come to tell you good bye. We are all leaving now to the location of the coming battle and I wanted to see you before I left." Starfire slowly floated over to her sister.

"Is it really time already?" Starfire nodded slowly. "I guess I was asleep longer than I thought." Blackfire tried to smile at her sister but just couldn't do it. She looked down away from her sister.

"Do not worry sister. We will return soon and we will bring SoulBurn with us and then you and him can be together forever and everything will be glorious." Blackfire now found herself smiling at her bubbly sister. Blackfire was not surprised at all when she watched her sister reach out and pull her into a tight hug. She quickly returned the embrace.

"I love you sister." Blackfire could tell that Starfire had started crying and she couldn't help it and started crying too. She squeezed her sister tighter.

"I love you too Kori. Please be careful." The two sisters eventually pulled away and Starfire gave her sister one more warm look and she floated out the door.

Blackfire let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. That would have been a lot harder had Blackfire not had the intention of showing up at the battle. She knew she would be unable to fight at all, her body right now told her that, but she would be there. She needed to be there. She would wait until she was sure the Titans had left and then she would go change into her uniform and make her way to the fight. She knew it would be slow moving for her but it would happen. Her will was strong and her desire to see SoulBurn was stronger.

Starfire eventually made it back to the main room and noticed all the grim looks on everyone's faces though she did notice they brightened at her arrival. Robin was the first to speak.

"Everything okay Star?"

"Yes Robin and it will be even better after we save SoulBurn." Everyone smiled.

"Yes it will. All right everyone, its time to go." Despite Starfire's words, everyone felt like they were walking in a funeral procession as they walked out of the tower.

Robin looked up at the sun again which was now slightly past half way in the sky signaling that it was now past noon. He could feel the nervousness in the air as they all waited for Lucifer to appear. They had been waiting for probably a half hour and still Lucifer had not arrived. They all stood in fairly close proximity constantly glancing around having no idea where Lucifer would come from.

The city was dead quiet, all the people successfully evacuated. It would have been an impossible feat had Jump City not been prepared for such a thing ever since the first time the name Slade was mentioned. Again Robin eyed his surroundings, silently hoping that maybe Lucifer had decided not to try and destroy the universe and would simply disappear. Not even for a second did Robin actually believe that was a possibility.

Suddenly, he spotted a person walking toward them down the street. As the person got closer, it became obvious it was SoulBurn's body which meant Lucifer had come. Lucifer casually walked down the middle of the street with his hands in his pockets. He had an enormous smile on his face. Had it not been for the four glowing red eyes and SoulBurn's white hair, it would have looked as if he was just a normal person out for a stroll around town. As he got closer and closer, Robin could feel a spike in the nervousness and fear in the air. Lucifer stopped about twenty feet in front of the group and seemed to look each of them up and down.

"Well I should be flattered. I mean bringing all your friends to meet little old me or maybe you just felt more comfortable dieing all together." His smile grew. "Either way this does make me very happy. This should ensure that I can cause enough pain to satisfy myself." A few of the Titan's could feel themselves shudder as they stared at that malicious smile, listened to the terrible words spoken as if this was nothing but a casually conversation. Robin stood firm.

"Your not the one I want to talk to right now asshole. I'm here to talk to SoulBurn." Lucifer laughed.

"Oh I don't think you will be talking to Azrael anytime soon. He is firmly under my control. His body is now forever mine. He will remain locked within his own body as he watches me destroy you all. He will watch as I conquer this universe. He will watch as I wage war on Heaven itself and there will be nothing he can do about it." Dark laughter filled the quiet city. Robin only smiled.

"Oh I beg to differ. I know for a fact that you don't have complete control of SoulBurn." Lucifer's eyes thinned slightly as he glared threateningly at Robin who simply continued talking. "I guess you aren't as powerful as you want us all to believe." Robin could feel the anger coming from Lucifer as he mocked him. Lucifer's voice came out as more of a hiss.

"You know nothing mortal." Robin took the moment to test his plan.

"SoulBurn! I know you're in there. Fight against him. Don't let Lucifer win. Don't let him use you to hurt more innocent people. Come back to the light. Come back to Blackfire. She needs you right now SoulBurn. She needs your love." Robin watched as Lucifer flinched at Blackfire's name. He could tell that her name caused something to stir within Lucifer. Lucifer grabbed his head with one of his hands as he took a step back trying to maintain his balance.

"I know you love her too SoulBurn. Think of what he will do to her if he keeps control. Hasn't she already suffered enough." Robin watched as the four red eyes flashed to two blue ones, just as Blackfire had described. They seemed to go back and forth between the two colors, as the two essences inside battle against each other. Robin could hear SoulBurn's real voice for just a second though it sounded labored. He only said one name…Blackfire.

Robin smiled believing that SoulBurn was gaining control when suddenly the demon eyes returned and with a bellow of anger that shook the entire city, a scream of rage that caused the titan's to cover their ears, Robin knew Lucifer was back in control.

"ENOUGH!" Once again the burning red eyes were affixed upon Robin. "I am in control here. I am the most powerful being in all existence. I am perfect! I will not be defeated by anyone and the whole universe shall crumble beneath me. Your pathetic lives will be the first extinguished by my glory. Now Titans, it is time to die." The twisted grin on Lucifer's face caused a shiver of fear to go down Robin's back. A blade of blue energy and twisting, burning fire extended down the right arm of Lucifer. The time had come.

"Titan's Go!" In an instant, numerous projectiles ranging from energy beams to an arrow were fired at Lucifer. He simply stood there smiling and right before they all converged on him, he disappeared in a flash of blue and reappeared 10 feet to the left out of harms way. Robin gritted his teeth and charged in. The battle had begun.

The attacks came from all sides on Lucifer but he amazingly was not even harmed yet. He dodged attacks with speed and fluidity that amazed even Robin. He blocked all manner of attacks with his energy shield and used well-timed teleportations to avoid flawlessly executed attacks and the whole time he never once attacked back. Robin felt himself growl in frustration. Even the speedy attacks of Mas and Menos seemed to be seen coming by Lucifer.

The entire time the smile on Lucifer's face had never left and Robin knew that he was only toying with them all. Robin was starting to feel very much outclassed and could tell the other Titans were getting as frustrated as he was, their attacks becoming more direct and powerful, strategy breaking down.

A blast from Cyborg's ion amplified sonic cannon hit Lucifer dead on but as usual, it was either blocked or absorbed by Lucifer's shield though it did push him back several feet. Robin watched as Aqualad used his powers and ripped dozens of pipes from the very ground, causing a massive stream of water to form together creating one solid, crushing body of water. With a yell, he sent it streaming at Lucifer who had now recovered from being pushed back. Robin could see fire erupt from Lucifer's entire body as the wave hit and so intense was the heat that the water on contact turned into harmless steam.

The battlefield was now covered in a shroud of steam with everyone looking around frantically for any approaching attack. Aqualad was the most afraid as he had been the closest to Lucifer when he watched him disappear into the steam. Aqualad caught a flash of something to his right and felt only briefly a strange burning in his neck. The steam finally dissipated enough to see and all the Titan's gasped in horror as Aqualad's head rolled from his body, his body then collapsing into a heap as blood continued to poor from where his head once sat.

A few feet away stood Lucifer who was now openly laughing, his eyes wide with pleasure as he admired all the blood. Robin could only stared in horror...maybe SoulBurn couldn't be saved, maybe he would have to break his promise and kill him.

Mas and Menos were the first to recover letting out screams of anger at watching their friend die so horribly. They grabbed hands and charged forward and once again found they could not land a direct hit, though a few made it through Lucifer's defenses. They started running around Lucifer in a circle, with Menos on the inside, faster than they had ever gone before, looking for an opening. Lucifer only closed all his eyes, extending his senses. Mas suddenly found himself slowing back to normal speed as he crashed to the ground losing his balance because of the speed change. He still felt his brother's grip in his hand but only took him a few seconds to realize that the only part of his brother that was there was his arm.

He heard his brother cry out and what he saw brought tears to his eyes. Lucifer stood with his foot on his maimed brother's head, slowly pushing down. Menos continued to scream as the pressure slowly increased and the bones of his face and skull began cracking loudly. A blast from Cyborg's sonic cannon came out of nowhere slamming full force into Lucifer who continued to laugh manically as he crushed Menos. Lucifer flew through the air crashing into a building with such force that the entire side of the building collapsed on him burying him in concrete and steal. Cyborg stared with an angry look in his eyes as Mas ran up to his bleeding brother.

"Go back to hell you sick bastard." Mas looked down at his twin brother whose head and face were now beyond recognition, as blood continued to come from his shoulder where his arm was severed. He knew his brother would not make it.

"Adios, mi hermano. Ti amo." Menos's chest stopped moving as Mas's anguish echoed through out the city. Some of the Titans could feel the tears starting to fall as they watched the small form of Mas holding his brother's body, clutching it tightly to his chest. Robin had walked up next to Cyborg who now realized that he probably had killed Lucifer, but with it, killed SoulBurn.

"I'm sorry man. I know you wanted to save SoulBurn but I couldn't let that continue. This needed to end." Robin looked up at his friend hearing the regret in his voice.

"I know Cy. I know." They were interrupted by the sound of shifting rubble coming from where SoulBurn was buried. A blast of energy erupted from the pile of concrete scattering the debris everywhere. All the titans struggled to avoid the flying rock. When everything cleared, there was Lucifer standing in a small crater. Everyone looked on in horror though it was Cyborg who voiced everyone's thought.

"Oh my God." Lucifer laughed.

"Yes, yes I am." The blood that dripped down to the pavement from some of the wounds Lucifer had was the only sound in the city at that moment. A metal pole had impaled Lucifer through the stomach though he barely seemed to notice. His right arm was bent at an impossible angle, obviously broken. There was a deep gash on his forehead and his shirt and been nearly ripped off revealing numerous gashes on his chest, along with SoulBurn's terrible scars.

The titans watched in horror as Lucifer grabbed his right arm with his left and with a sickening twist, snapped it back into place. He seemed to shift his arm to test it out and then proceeded to pull the metal pole out of his own stomach without even a grunt of pain. Terra found herself nearly vomiting. Robin also noticed that the visible gashes were slowly closing up and soon Lucifer looked like he had never been injured. The only proof was the torn shirt and a bloody metal spike on the ground. Lucifer laughed as everyone stared at him.

"Its amazing that regeneration and healing powers come from Hell, not heaven. Isn't that right my daughter." Raven felt herself shiver as Lucifer's attention was now one her.

"One would think angels would be the one to wield such a power though I believe SoulBurn did use it once somehow to heal you my daughter." Robin felt his mind frantically taking everything in. He had been unable to reach SoulBurn, to make him take control and now, obviously, the use of SoulBurn's power would not serve to weaken his body like they normally did. It was at this very moment, Robin knew they would all die.

Before anyone could react, a massive blast of blue energy laced with fire erupted from Lucifer's hand aimed directly at Cyborg. Cyborg barely had time to blink before the blast hit him in the chest, piercing straight threw his power core, continuing straight out the other side. His body immediately sparked and turned gray, his robot eye fading away, his human eye still locked in horror as he collapsed to the ground. Bumble Bee screamed loudly.

"NOOO!" and she quickly gave way to more tears. She collapsed to the ground next Cyborg. She was in a complete state of shock. She would be of no more use. Once again Robin yelled.

"Titan's Go!" The situation felt hopeless, but they would never give up. Again projectiles flew at Lucifer who Robin did notice seemed to be moving slower, nearly getting hit on many occasions. He seemed distracted as if he was busy with something else other than the battle. Whatever it was, it was giving him a small bit of hope that they would survive this. He hoped that maybe SoulBurn was fighting within again.

He jumped up and swung down as hard as he could with his bo staff at Lucifer only for the staff to meet a blade of energy. Robin's eyes widened as instead of stopping his staff, the blade simply pass right through it, cutting the staff in half. Robin found himself off balance, struggling to avoid impaling himself on the blade, managing to slide just in front of it but found himself in a bad situation.

A second blade formed down Lucifer's other arm and though Robin tried to move he couldn't get his entire body out of the way fast enough. The slash missed his body but severed his arm at just below the elbow. He screamed out in pain as Lucifer kicked Robin with a side kick sending him flying away from him. Starfire caught him in the air, preventing him from landing on to the pavement. Robin could feel the blood flowing from his wound, not being able to understand why it simply had not cauterized as the flaming energy blade passed through. He looked up at Starfire who had a worried look in her eyes and he knew what he needed to do.

"Star…I need you to stop the blood flow. I need you to seal the wound." Starfire was confused.

"I do not understand Robin. I don't know…" Robin reached up and grabbed Star by the front of her uniform and in a very low voice, fighting off the pain, spoke.

"I want you to use your Starbolt and burn this wound shut. Do you understand?" Robin hated to be stern with Starfire but his time was short. She nodded in understanding. She powered up the energy in her hand and looked away as she placed the green energy on the wound. Robin screamed in agony. It was that scream that finally set Raven off. She watched Robin get injured and could feel her demonic anger building in her. She wanted to run over to him but her friends needed her right now. Her powers were helping to provide invaluable shields to protect her friends from Lucifer's sadistic attacks. Beast Boy needed them the most as he fought close up.

However, it was that scream of pure agony from Robin that pushed her over the edge. She could feel power flowing through her, increasing her own power to incredible levels. She had one purpose in mind. Destroy her Father. The remaining Titans seemed to understand that they needed to get the hell away from Raven and Lucifer. They pulled back as black energy started swirling around her. Her voice came out distorted.

"Father! This ends now. I will destroy you." Lucifer grinned as he looked into his daughter's now red and very angry eyes.

"Oh hello there daughter. Isn't it ironic that you chose this moment to embrace your demonic heritage." Raven's response was grabbing Lucifer with a massive black talon grabbed and slamming him into the ground repeatedly. Raven did not stop there and continued her massive attack on her father, throwing him into walls, viciously pelting him with all sorts of objects. The rest of the Titans looked on as Raven fought and realized she indeed was winning. A small twinge of hope had found its way into them all.

A final slam into the ground occurred and Raven stared down at the body that her father was inhabiting. She could feel her anger leaving her and the power leaving with it but it had to be over. Nothing could survive what she had done. She slowly approached the prone form of Lucifer with a small smile of satisfaction on her face.

"This is where you belong father. Laying dead in the stre…" Raven's eyes widened in shock as her father quickly stood up and grabbed her by the throat. She could hear several bones cracking from Lucifer's body as he moved. She found herself quickly losing air as her father lifted her up by the throat. She looked on in terror as her father's eyes glared up at her.

"And this is where you belong daughter. Dying within my grasp." Raven could feel herself fading into darkness, but she suddenly found herself dropped to the ground, a birdarang now imbedded itself deep in Lucifer's arm. A blast of green energy soon hit him, sendingt him flying back. Lucifer landed hard on the street.

Raven looked up at Robin who helped her up, though carefully as he only had one hand now. She was amazed he could even throw a birdarang in his condition. Meanwhile, Lucifer was rising to his feet. He was becoming very angry at this point as he ripped the metal weapon out of his arm. These insects continued to oppose him and he could feel SoulBurn growing stronger within him. It was distracting him, making it difficult for him to attack. He had the chance to kill Robin but found himself only being able to sever his arm.

Lucifer quickly moved his head to the side as an arrow flew by. He glared at the archer flanked by the green changling and the blonde Earthmover. In frustration, Lucifer unleashed a massive wave of fire at them though they scattered to avoid it. Lucifer let out a scream of anger as the ground around him cracked and the buildings shook.

"Why do you continue to oppose me!" Speedy was the one to respond.

"Because you killed my friends. Because you're a twisted bastard. There's plenty of reasons." Anger spiked within Lucifer at his pathetic mortal's insolence. Lucifer fired two quick energy blasts at Speedy. He easily dodged the one but noticed the other one was far too high.

"Nice aim loser." Lucifer only grinned. It took Speedy a second to look up just before part of the building he was standing by that had been caused to fall by the second blast crushed him. Lucifer smiled even louder when he heard that innocent alien cry out for his latest victim. She quickly flew over trying to dig out Speedy, hoping he was still alive.

Lucifer took the moment to study his surrounding. That one twin was of no consequence. Bumble Bee had not left the side of Cyborg, in a state of shock, unable to move since he had died. Robin was too weak from blood loss and his Daughter was of not much use right now due to her massive power use, choosing to use her leftover power to heal Robin. Lucifer glared at the changling and Terra who eyes him angrily. Terra used her power to use the various debris around her to try and hit Lucifer but his speed and his teleportation ability made her powers against him pretty useless. She never could land anything.

Beast Boy finally let himself completely go, dropped every inch of restraint in his body and mind, and transformed into the beast. He charged forward with a snarl, pissed off not even coming closing to describing the rage fueling him, expecting to tackle Lucifer but instead he met only a massively strong punch straight to his face. He immediately saw stars and flew back from the impact that would have put CinderBlock to shame. Terra looked wide-eyed as Beast Boy slammed into her instantly knocking her out. The two lovers landed in a heap together, both alive, but no longer awake.

Lucifer grinned. That left one. The one in this little group of attackers that SoulBurn fought the hardest to prevent him from attacking. The one who stood the strongest against everything he truly was. The innocent one. The shining light. Starfire. He growled as he watched her continue to try and dig Speedy out. He so badly wanted to destroy her and her pathetic sister, wherever she was.

In a flash he was next to Starfire. She had no idea he was there as she frantically continued to dig through the pile. Raven called out to Starfire who turned around and found herself staring directly at Lucifer. She looked at him with scared eyes and all he wanted to do was cut her apart but again SoulBurn's essence fought and all he could do was backhand her. The impact was strong and Starfire flew through the air landing hard on the ground, though the attack barely hurt her. She rose to her feet getting into a defensive stance as Lucifer slowly walked toward her.

"You know, I thought it would only take a few deaths to stop SoulBurn from fighting against me. One more innocent's blood on his hand before he would finally crack and give up all hope of fighting for control. But I was wrong. It is your death that is required. You do not know how highly he thinks of you. You were the first one to make him feel like things would be all right. You made him feel good. You are one of the main reasons he was able to find the strength to beat my emissary and stop my release into this world. Even now, he continues to fight to protect you and the hope he sees you as. That is why you must be destroyed."

Starfire realized that Lucifer was saying that SoulBurn was still fighting, that he still could be saved.

"If you believe what you say, then you know that SoulBurn will never harm me and I will never stop until you are stopped. It would be best if you just give up now and release my friend. Release my friend who I love so much."

Lucifer could feel SoulBurn increase his efforts to resist as he neared Starfire. Starfire watched as once again Lucifer was halted by the raging turmoil within him. He grabbed his head with both hands and screamed in pain. Starfire watched his eyes turn back to normal, and remain that color for almost two seconds before they reverted though the struggle did not stop. Lucifer fell back on the ground, slamming his fist into the ground, fighting to maintain his control.

"You will not win Azrael. I am greater than you. I am more powerful than you." Lucifer pulled himself to his feet. "And I shall prove it." A blade formed on SoulBurn's right arm. He turned to Starfire with a crazed look on his face, slowly losing his grip on everything. Starfire stared at him with her beautiful, innocent eyes as Lucifer charged forward, trusting in SoulBurn to win. It was a bet she wasn't going to win but right before the blade reached her midsection, a purple blur zoomed in, taking the stab that was meant for Starfire. It took Starfire a second to realize what happened.

"Sister…" The blade pierced Blackfire's stomach as she fell over on to Lucifer whose eyes were wide in shock. Her face was right next to Lucifer's ear. She spoke only a few words.

"I love you SoulBurn." Her eyes closed and she fell into unconsciousness. Lucifer stumbled backwards and Starfire caught her sister before she fell to the ground. Raven flew over from Robin's side as he was now stable, intent on healing Blackfire as she felt her aura fading. A strange blue energy seemed to surround Lucifer's body and the voice that spoke was not Lucifer's but SoulBurns.

"Damn you Lucifer. Her blood is now on my hands. You made me hurt Blackfire. This ends now." The voice changed back to Lucifer's who was laughing hysterically.

"Oh listen to you, caring so much for these mortals. They should all be dead by now but you continue to resist. You hated mortals as much as me once and I know you remember everything now. You know who you truly are. You are just like me." SoulBurn's voice was heard again.

"No Lucifer. I may have been forced from heaven but I was never like you. I was never that monstrous. I was never that evil." SoulBurn's voice became progressively louder. "You put this darkness in me. You are the reason for everything that has happened. You are the reason so many people are dead. You are the reason these people here are dead. You are the reason Blackfire is dead! You killed my mother you bastard!" The yell echoed through the entire city. A dark laugh came again.

"Yes I did. To make your father pay for not seeing the perfection of my vision, of me. And I am not the only one to blame. Your weakness is also to blame for these people's death." Again SoulBurn's voice returned.

"There is darkness within me and I know it will always be a part of me but the darkness that is you I can rid myself of. The reason I was sent to the mortal realm has been fulfilled. I have learned to appreciate all life. I have learned to appreciate mortal beings. I no longer see myself as above all as you do. I have even found love in many forms." Starfire watched as SoulBurn's blue eyes returned, burning bright. White energy outlined his body.

"And now Lucifer. Get out of my body. Go back to Hell." SoulBurn let out a scream as his body was hit with pain. He clenched his fists feeling incredible power flow through him. He tilted his head back and screamed again. The Titan's that were still aware watched as what appeared to be red smoke poured from SoulBurn's mouth. The smoke seemed to also come from his entire body, fleeing the white light that seemed to radiate from him. Eventually it stopped and all was quiet. SoulBurn stood there for a second before collapsing to the ground. It was at this moment that Terra and Beast Boy, now in his human form, woke up. They both slowly rose to their feet and noticed that SoulBurn was lying on the ground and something else very strange.

"Where did all this red smoke come from?" Robin who thanks to Raven had improved enough to be completely aware again noticed it too.. The red smoke was still hanging above them, seemingly coming together. Everyone watched in horror as the smoke gradually took on a large, humanoid shape, towering over the city. As the forming being came into existence, Raven realized what it was.

"Oh God no." Starfire looked at her friend and saw the raw terror on her friend's face. A deep laugh interrupted Starfire from asking what was wrong, a laugh that seemed to come from everywhere all at once, a laugh they had heard far too much today. Now standing fully formed, towering over the landscape, radiating pure malevolence and evil that far surpassed what they had felt from SoulBurn's controlled body, was Lucifer. The massive red-skinned demon raised his arms in triumph as he surveyed his surrounds.

"All shall suffer! All shall die!" Somehow, things had found a way to get worse.


	36. A Moment to End It All

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Ch 36: A Moment to End It All

Everyone stared wide-eyed at the towering form of Lucifer. His true form was indeed terrifying to behold. The sky itself seemed to turn red and Robin was sure the temperature had increased 50 degrees in an instant. Robin moved as fast as he could toward SoulBurn who was still lying unmoving on the ground. Beast Boy and Terra too were making their way over to the fallen form. Raven was still working her healing power on Blackfire who was cradled in Starfire's arms. Mas was trying to get Bumble Bee to snap out of her catatonic state but was having no visible effect on the girl who still continued to sit there staring at Cyborg's body.

Tremors seemed to disrupt the ground as they walked causing everyone to stumble slightly. Lucifer seemed to take no notice of them and was currently on a rampage through the city punctuated by loud, animalistic roars and blasts of fire ripping through buildings as if they were nothing. Beast Boy turned over SoulBurn who seemed to finally be coming too. His two eyes opened and they both were the pale blue that they originally had. The dark eye had faded back to normal. Beast Boy helped him to his feet, though very slowly. Another roar ripped through the city as SoulBurn looked up at Lucifer as he leaned on Beast Boy for support.

"This isn't possible. He should not have been able to exist in this realm outside my body. He should have been pulled back into Hell." Everyone knew that SoulBurn was talking to himself, trying to figure out what was going on. Eventually, a small smile formed on his face.

"I understand now. He's become mortal. By entering into this realm within a mortal body, he lost his immortal standing." Robin listened carefully.

"So what does that mean exactly?"

"It means for the first time, Lucifer can be truly killed. Immortal beings can only be killed by other immortals but now that he is mortal, the greatest evil in existence is vulnerable."

"Well I hate to break it to you, but there's not much left to oppose him. All of us are injured and drained and we barely survived against him when he wasn't even in complete control of you." Beast Boy's voice had a hopeless and dark tone to it. SoulBurn responded.

"I don't know either. It seems as if Lucifer has succumbed completely to his demonic rage. He is nothing more than a beast right now and will not stop until everything is destroyed. He will not stop until Hell stretches to all the corners of the vast Universe. Something has to be done but you are right Beast Boy. I don't think we have a chance. This is my fault in the end. I should have been strong enough to prevent his control. He was right. These deaths are all my fault. This situation is my fault. We all are going to die."

Starfire who had slowly floated over as Raven had taken her unconscious sister was now directly in front of SoulBurn. Everyone was surprised when she slapped him across the face.

"Do not talk like that! There is always hope. We must not allow our friend's lives to be sacrificed in vain. My sister will wake up and there will be a world for her to enjoy. We must fight!" Everyone simply stared at Starfire in awe but no ones eyes wider than SoulBurn's.

"Blackfire is alive?" Raven's voice came from behind the group.

"She will survive but only as long as the rest of us once my father notices us." Everyone turned to Raven who floated over carrying Blackfire with her powers.

"She's alive…Thank God." SoulBurn closed his eyes for a second but opened them with a more serious look to them. However, we still have to stop Lucifer and I know of no way. I can barely move right now. The separation drained me completely and I believe only my power would have stood a chance right now. I couldn't even teleport if I wanted to." Robin who had been surprisingly quiet the entire time took a moment to speak up.

"I have an idea. I know of one thing that may end this once and for all." Everyone stared at him waiting for his plan.

"Raven, I need you to teleport me back to the tower. The rest of you start heading in that direction away from Lucifer. Get away from the city." Raven spoke next with concern in her voice.

"What are you planning Robin? Robin gave her a warm smile.

"What needs to be done to save everything. Now everyone move." Terra picked up everyone on a piece of street. Even Mas who was leading Bumble Bee over like someone leading a small child got on. Raven continued to stare at Robin who only smiled again.

"Alright Raven, let's go."

Raven teleported Robin back to the tower, to the hallway in front of his room. A million thoughts were screaming in Raven's head. She had no idea what Robin was planning and she was unable to get a lock on anything going through his head. She knew he wasn't running away, but rather only getting everyone to safety but he was going to do something and it was whatever that something was that scared her. Robin was only in his room for a few seconds before he came running out.

"Alright Raven, get me back to the city." He looked into Raven's eyes and saw that she was staring at the object in his hand. Her voice came out barely above a whisper.

"What are you going to do with that?" Robin's face was an emotionless mask.

"I'm going to do what needs to be done, for the good of everyone." Raven felt Robin open up his mind to her and she could see what he was planning. She instantly grabbed on to him in a hug.

"Please no. Richard please don't. There has to be another way. I can't lose you. I can't live without you." Robin wrapped his arms around her, holding her as she cried.

"Shhh Raven. You know as well as I do there is no other way. I have to stop him and there is no other way to do it." Raven pulled away and looked up at Robin.

"I'll go with you. I'll teleport us out of there before it's too late. Everything will be okay." Robin felt something shatter inside him as he looked at the hopeful look in her eyes as he shook his head.

"It won't work Raven. I have to make sure nothing goes wrong, make sure it goes off. Plus, you don't teleport fast enough to escape yourself and SoulBurn has no power left to do so."

"Then I'll die with you. I'll stand by your end until the very end." Again Robin shook his head.

"No Raven. Only one more life shall be sacrificed. You will live. You have to live." Robin removed his mask and stared right into her eyes, opening his entire mind to her, and she did the same. The both were one essence for a few seconds before Robin pulled away.

"Its time to go Raven." Raven continued to feel the tears flow down her face but knew what had to be done. Robin pulled her tightly to his chest with his one arm as they both disappeared into Raven's power.

Eventually, the two appeared back in the heart of the city. The two recognized their surroundings as being the same as the visions Raven used to have before the prophecy was stopped. Buildings were nothing but rubble. Fire's raged out of control everywhere and even lava now flowed through the streets. Lucifer could be seen still continuing his rampage as a blast from his eyes decimated a nearly by apartment building. Lucifer was bringing Hell on Earth and he had started with Jump City.

Robin could feel Raven refusing to let him go though he gently nudged her off him. He stared into her eyes one last time as he kissed her, filling the kiss with all the love and passion he felt, enough love for a thousand lifetimes. When he pulled away, Raven's eyes were still closed and she was visibly trying to avoid completely breaking down right there.

"Go to the others Raven. Help everyone recover." Raven's eyes opened and she nodded.

"I love you Richard." He could feel himself starting to cry as the look in Raven's eyes was heartbreaking.

"I love you my beautiful Raven." One final embrace, and Raven was gone. Robin now stood alone in what was once the heart of a beautiful city now reduced to a burning wasteland. His body was hurting all over, including what was once his arm, yet nothing hurt more at this moment than his heart.

He started walking slowly toward Lucifer who let out another monstrous roar followed by a dark laugh. He seemed to finally take notice of the only living being still in the city. The enormous form turned around spotting a single mortal standing defiantly in front of him.

"Who dares come to oppose me? Who dares to stand against my power?"

"You know who I am so stop acting like an asshole." Robin laughed slightly. Despite everything, it wasn't everyday you got to be a complete jerk to the devil with the knowledge that it would all end very soon. "It is time to put you down like the dog you are." Lucifer only laughed.

"Ah yes. The one who chose to love my daughter. The most pathetic of all who opposed me. At least they had some power but you…you are nothing but a powerless mortal, nothing but a human being." Robin only continued smiling at the taunting.

"Have you come to beg for your lives, come to beg that I spare my whore of a daughter. You are wasting your breath. Everyone will die." Again Robin said nothing but only smiled. It was clearly starting to make Lucifer angry as the air around him seemed to be catching fire.

"Answer me when I speak to you mortal! Why have you come here?"

"I have come to destroy you. I have come to send you to oblivion." Robin's voice was filled with confidence which caused the great demon lord to laugh.

"Do you truly understand who you speak too? I am Lucifer, greatest of all creations. I am beyond perfection and all shall burn at my hands." The entire city shook though it did not phase Robin at all.

"I think its you who doesn't understand who there talking to. My name is Robin, formerly known as Richard Grayson. Son to murdered parents. Protégé to one of the greatest men alive. Leader of the Teen Titans and lover of the most perfect woman I have ever seen. Friend to all and protector of all that is pure and innocent. And this," Robin held up an object that had Lucifer had not noticed before. "Is a fully powered and upgraded Zynothium Power core."

Lucifer studied the belt that Robin had built in order to create his Red X persona, used to attack his friends and try and bring down Slade, and recovered from the fake Red X when it was stolen. Its creation was the single greatest mistake he had ever made and now it was the last hope.

"And why should I care what that is mortal." Robin smiled.

"Well I assumed someone who claims to be so great and all-knowing would know what this is, but I guess I can give you a quick science lesson." Lucifer growled loudly and the impudence of this single, weak mortal.

"You see, it's a very powerful reactor core, extraordinarily small in size but more powerful than almost anything else ever seen. It has one flaw though. It is highly unstable and when something as powerful as this is unstable, bad things can happen. Especially if I push a few of these buttons in a specific order which will cause this power core to go critical annihilating everything within, oh I'd say about 15 city blocks." A full smile formed on Robin's face as the four massive, burning eyes of Lucifer widened in what Robin knew was surprise and fear.

"Go back to the darkness Lucifer. No one wants you here." Robin pushed the buttons as Lucifer charged up a massive amount of energy in his hands with every intent of obliterating Robin before he succeeded in his plan. Lucifer never stood a chance. A small flash of red light in Robin's hand signaled the reactor had reached critical and almost instantly, a massive amount of energy was unleashed. Robin's body was disintegrated instantly. Only a second later, the energy shot out in all directions, creating an expanding dome of destructive red energy. Lucifer screamed in pain but was quickly silenced forever as the energy hit him, ending him just as fast as the rest of the surrounding area.

After disappearing from Robin's side, Raven headed toward the aura's that were her remaining friends though she could not get her mind off of Richard. She had been tempted to turn around as she flew away but knew Richard wanted to live and she knew that was his final wish. She could not deny him that. Eventually she reached her friends appearing in the middle of the group. Everyone able to, jumped back at her appearance though quickly calmed down as they saw it was Raven. Terra studied her dark friend and noticed her eyes were puffy and red and yet a dead look seemed to be her in eyes. Something was terribly wrong. Starfire, however was the first to speak.

"Where is friend Robin? Has he not come to explain the plan to defeat Lucifer?" Raven did not turn to answer her. She only looked down at the ground in front of her and everyone could tell her body was shaking slightly. SoulBurn who had been cradling Blackfire's still unconscious form gently laid her down on the ground and stood up. The second Raven arrived he could tell something was terribly wrong. Her entire essence was in turmoil and it seemed like it was ready to tear itself apart.

"Raven, what has happened to Robin? Where did he go?" Raven turned to look at SoulBurn but very slowly. He too could see the dead look in her eyes.

"He has gone to end it all." Beast Boy spoke next.

"Hey I know Robin is great and all and I love him to death, but what could he possibly do to stop Lucifer by himself. I mean he doesn't really have any powers." In a heartbeat Raven was in front of Beast Boy grabbing him by the front of his shirt pulling him down to her level.

"You have no idea what he is capable of. You have no idea what he is willing to do to save us."

Raven's eyes frightened Beast Boy. There was so much going on in them that he barely could look at them. The sheer intensity of her gaze was unbearable. SoulBurn was about to ask another question when he felt something hit him. It was fear and the most shocking part about it that it was unmistakably from Lucifer. He could tell Raven felt it too because they both looked back at the city that they sat on the edge of.

The two people stood next to each other waiting for something to happen. One being created of Heaven and one being created of Hell, both could feel the importance of this very moment. It only took a few seconds more before a huge blast of red energy could be seen and heard erupting from the city. The final attack of a simple, powerless mortal, born simply of this planet.

Everyone had to shield their eyes as the blast intensified. As quickly as it came, the blast was gone. When everyone finally was able to see clearly again, their eyes widened in shock. Most of Jump City was gone, nothing left but an empty crater. A ring of still standing buildings surrounded an enormous crater of nothingness and most importantly, Lucifer was gone as well. SoulBurn had felt it immediately. Robin's life had been extinguished and with it so had Lucifer's. Whatever noble act he had done at the cost of his life had succeeded and the universe was now safe. In the end, the universe had been saved by a single man willing to die to save all those he cared for.

SoulBurn could feel the pure anguish coming from Raven as she dropped to her knees, still staring in disbelief at the sight in front of her, though she knew this would occur. She too had felt the death of her soulmate. Tears started falling down her cheeks but the same look of deadness continued in her eyes. SoulBurn knew immediately that though only one good soul had been lost, the best parts of Raven had gone with it and he feared she would be gone forever. Eventually everyone seemed to understand what had just happened and the tears started to fall. Robin was gone.


	37. There Is Always Hope

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Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans so lets not try and sue me since I don't have anything to sue for.

Ch. 37: There Is Always Hope

All of the original Titans left could feel the tears flowing freely down their faces yet the one who should have been crying the most had barely even blinked since the massive explosion. Raven still sat on her knees, now with her eyes closed. Her skin seemed to grow paler by the second and it barely looked like she was breathing.

SoulBurn stood there with millions of thoughts flowing through his head, staring at the prone form of Raven. With the death of Lucifer, the darkness of her soul had completely dissipated leaving only her own now within her body. Though she was still half demon in body, she was now free completely of the taint of her Father. However, at this moment, that meant absolutely nothing. He could see her inner light fading, completely giving in to the desire to fade away. Though Robin had every noble intention in his actions, SoulBurn had the terrible feeling that Raven would never have a will to live again.

SoulBurn watched as Raven's eyes slowly opened. Her eyes were cold, hollow. Her eyes were so lifeless that SoulBurn knew that they would probably haunt him forever, even if he lived another nine hundred million years. SouBurn could no longer look at the eyes and closed his own trying to clear his thoughts. His entire existence was now blatantly clear to him. He was not SoulBurn, but rather Azrael, a fallen angel who was tainted by Lucifer shortly after his birth, a being who was always meant to help bring Hell to the Universe. However, by a simple twist of fate, he was given a second chance to be what he was born to be, not what he was created to be. SoulBurn was that second chance but sadly, that was not him, not right now. Suddenly, Starfire's scream rang out.

"Sister! Why are you not breathing? Sister, Please wake up!" SoulBurn turned around in a flash and saw Starfire shaking the form of Blackfire. Frantic thoughts raced through SoulBurn's head as he raced over to Blackfire. She was supposed to be okay. She was supposed to make it. Again Starfire was yelling.

"Raven! I thought you said you healed her. I thought you said she would survive. Please hurry and use your healing powers before it is too late." Raven's voice came out completely dead, beyond the monotone that once dominated her words.

"It is too late Starfire. Everything is too late. I have little power left and could never use them as I am right now. I was unable to heal her before...it will not happen now." The sheer emptiness of Raven's voice made everyone shiver slightly.

"No Raven! There must be a way! There is always a way!" Again Raven's voice chilled the air.

"No hope. There is no hope. It is all gone, gone in a flash of red." SoulBurn who was kneeling beside Blackfire and her sister, could feel the last bit of life leave Blackfire. She was gone. He gently caressed the side of her cold, pale face as a single tear escaped his eye.

He clenched his fists as he slowly rose to his feet and looked around himself. Raven was fading away, Starfire continued to sob relentlessly as she held her sister and Beast Boy and Terra simply stood next to each other with a look of total devastation and hopelessness. Mas simply sat on the ground holding his knees to his chest while Bumble Bee continued to stare off into nothingness. Finally, SoulBurn stared off at a city that was almost completely gone, the final stand of good versus evil. Beast Boy and Terra watched as SoulBurn watched walked a few steps out in front of the group. They were completely confused by what was going on. SoulBurn began speaking to what seemed to be the sky.

"Father! I know you are there. I know you can hear and see everything that has transpired. Show yourself now!." Everyone seemed to hear a response thought it seemed to exist within their minds rather that their ears.

"The balance must be respected. That is how it must be." SoulBurn lashed back at the voice.

"Enough! The Lord of Hell has just been completely destroyed from all existence in the mortal realm. The balance is gone right now! Get down here right now!" Pure white energy seemed to radiate off of SoulBurn as he spoke. The true Titans recognized it as the same energy that had finally brought down Slade in the battle of the prophecy. Again a response was heard in everyone's minds.

"So be it." A brilliant flash of white, brighter than even what SoulBurn was producing suddenly engulfed everything. The remaining Titans all shielded their eyes but even then they could still see the blinding light. Eventually the light relented and the Titan's vision slowly came back into focus. Beast Boy and Terra could see two figures in front of SoulBurn. One seemed to tower over the other and they almost thought they could see two wings extending from his back. The smaller figure glided forward as if she wasn't even touching the ground toward Raven. Everyone was shocked when she kneeled down by the small girl and embraced her in a gentle hug. It was even stranger when they realized just how much this being looked like Raven, though an older version. The strange woman began speaking gently to Raven who had yet to move or respond to the actions.

"My sweet little Raven. I am so sorry. It should have never come to this. It should have never come to this." The woman began crying gently as she held Raven tighter, yet Raven still did nothing. It was a terrible sight. Even in the embrace of her mother, Raven was still completely dead.

Terra, Beast Boy, and Starfire's eyes slowly drifted toward the other figure that had appeared, the one SoulBurn had called to...the one he had called father. The being could only be described as angelic in every sense of the word. In appearance as well as the aura and feelings he admitted from within. On closer inspection, there truly were great white wings extending from his back and also they noticed one important other feature: his eyes were the same exact pale blue as SoulBurn's. Had Raven been aware of her surroundings, she would have easily recognized the being as the Arch-Angel Michael, first among all heavenly beings. The rest of the Titans were simply in awe of this being who managed to make them all feel safe and warm by his mere presence. However, SoulBurn simply stood in front of him, eyes locked on the one who was his father, the one who had banished him to the mortal realm.

"Hello Azrael. It is finally good to be by you once again. I am sorry for everything that has happened. I…" Michael was cut off by a rather angry sounding SoulBurn.

"Of course your sorry. Everyone is sorry. Your sorry, I'm sorry, the Titans are sorry, but that won't change anything now will it." The great Arch-Angel slowly lowered his head.

"If you must blame someone son, then blame me. It was I who allowed this all to start. It was I who was not able to see the grand plan that Lucifer had set in motion. It was I who never saw how my own son had been tainted." A dead silence formed after the final words. Not even a gentle breeze seemed to permeate the area. It was Beast Boy who spoke next

"Um, I don't want to interrupt anything but could you tell us what's going SoulBurn. I believe we have the right to know." SoulBurn turned around and his eyes seemed to soften slightly but quickly returned to a very cold look.

"I believe I will allow my father to explain everything. It is he who has witnessed everything that has happened from the beginning...the absolute beginning." Michael raised his head back up and looked over at Beast Boy and Terra. Starfire floated up, still holding her sister in her arms, staring with red, puffy eyes at the sight in front of her.

"Greetings great warriors of the mortal realm. I wish I was meeting you under other circumstances but that was not to be. I am the Arch-Angel Michael, first guardian of the High Heavans and all existence for that matter, though I believe I have failed in that duty. The young woman holding Raven is Arella, Raven's mother. Everyone's eyes drifted over to Raven and her mother. Arella was still whispering softly into her daughter's ear, trying to get threw to her, but Raven's eyes remained dead to the living world.

"I know it means very little, but I must again say how sorry I am for the great tragedy that has occurred to you all and your city, but I will start from the beginning. Angels were born of heaven long ago, before the mortal realm was created, long before the dimension of Hell was created as a prison. Angels are immortal beings who are supposed to represent the purity of existence. Eventually the mortal realm was created and it became the duty of Heaven to watch over it. The mortal realm was not a perfect place, but it was a place where all things were possible, a place where no one was limited by fate and destiny. At this time, everything was the way it was supposed to be."

"However, one angel was gifted with the ability to see into the future, to see everything that would come. His name was Lucifer. He was very popular amongst the beings of heaven and eventually began believing he was above all other creation and that it was he who should control all realms of existence. He believed he could bring about perfect harmony to everything that was and would ever be." Michael let out a regretful sigh.

"I once called Lucifer friend as he was the first angel created after me and thusly we had a bond that went beyond many things. He came to me at this time, telling me of his grand vision, of his great plan, asking that I stand by him and help bring it about. It was then that I knew his pride had turned into madness. It was then that I could no longer deny that my friend was falling away from what angels were meant to be. I tried to help him, tried to make him see the error of his ways but he only grew worse, claiming that I was a traitor to his vision, that I was betraying the light by turning against him." The Titan's all listened attentively, finally hearing the truths of all that they had fought against. It was at this point that Michael's voice became very sad.

"It was also at this time that I had just become a father. My Soulmate Elysia was the most beautiful, kind, and gentle of all our kind though she never fell into pride as Lucifer did. Our love was beyond description, existed as long as time itself. However, it took us a very long time to finally have a child. Souls do not breed as mortal beings due but rather combine their essences with other souls to create new life, though normally this type of combining occurs between an angel and the passed on soul of a mortal."

"In a sense, Heaven is similar to the mortal realm though it is a place where there the evil of existence struggles to find any place in the hearts of its residents. It is a society that will exist for all eternity, where people have the opportunity to find the perfect happiness they may have not found in their lives. What made the joining between me and my Soulmate so special was that it was between two higher beings...between two angels. This had never happened before in all existence as for whatever reason, two angels had never fallen in love with each other. The result was a pure born angel who we named Azrael, the first ever born of his kind. It was the happiest moment of our existence, the happiest we had ever been in our billions of years of existence in heaven."

A dark look appeared on the heavenly features of Michael and SoulBurn's body seemed to be shaking slightly. Whatever was next to be said was visibly bothering both of them.

"It was not long after that Lucifer launched a attack with a few followers against myself and the majority of heaven which refused to see the glory of his vision. The attack came sudden and without warning but in the end the side of the true light triumphed. However, Lucifer was not defeated quickly enough. He…He destroyed Elysia. He destroyed my Soulmate and Azrael's mother when Azrael was only a few days old." A dead silence...not even a breathe drawn was heard.

"I can not tell you what it feels like for all existence when an angel dies. It is an unimaginable feeling of emptiness and pain all at the same time. It was and still is the only time that a true angel was killed. The devastation that was wrought on Heaven and the mortal realm nearly ripped the fabric of existence apart. Mortal worlds were destroyed along with all their people, the paradise of Heaven was nearly lost. In my rage, in my confusion and pain, I tapped into my connection to the energy that flows within everything, the connection that all pure angels have. My connection is the strongest as I was the first and it allowed me to strip the angelic powers from Lucifer and all his followers. I can still remember their screams of pain as I did it to them. I then cast them into another realm that should have locked them away for all eternity, the realm that would become Hell. It was then that Lucifer's true plan started to unfold, though I never knew that fact." SoulBurn raised a hand to silence his father.

"I shall tell the rest of the story for it is my past that will be spoken of." Michael gave a small nod and SoulBurn turned toward his friends.

"I may look about 18 or 19, but in fact I am slightly over nine hundred million years old in your Earth years." All the Titan's eyes widened at this information.

"Those born of heaven do not age the same way as mortals. We grow up physically very slowly, eventually stopping at an age where one would look like my father. Ever since my birth, those around me were slightly weary of me. A small bit of darkness lingered in me even then and most believed that it was a result of the situation I was born into and being so close to the death of my mother at such a young age. They believed that over time it would leave me and I would become what was expected.

"However, it did not. As I grew, I became angry, prideful, cold. I believed that all mortals were beneath those of pure angelic essence and that it was our destiny to lead them all, whether alive or dead to a perfect universe. Those in the high heavens can see into the mortal realm and watch what they choose to. To prove my superiority, I studied millions of mortal worlds, learned millions of languages and cultures. I studied the greatest fighting techniques ever created to enhance my already incredible power. I wanted to show just how I was truly beyond any mortal.

The whole time, had it not been for who my father was, I am sure now that I would have been cast into Hell much sooner. However, those of heaven still remembered what had happened to my mother...they could never forget and because of that they still pitied me enough to allow things to go. My father could not truly face what was happening as he had already lost his soulmate. He could not bear to lose me as well so he helped protect me.

My power continued to increase as well as my disdain for all mortals. It was borderline hate at this point and the fact that my power was now almost equal to my father's was beginning to scare those in Heaven. They were afraid of what would happen if I surpassed him. They were afraid of what I would be capable of.

It was at this time that I began questioning that perhaps Lucifer had been right in his quest. Everyone was horrified that I would believe the same monster who destroyed my mother could have been right in his madness. Those of heaven had enough. They came to my father, demanding that I do something as he was the only one who could. Still my father could not bear to throw me into the eternal damnation that was Hell. He could not lock me away with Lucifer and the other Fallen Angels, even as Lucifer's power continued to grow, effecting the mortal realm in some places, especially Azarath, where Raven was born.

Instead he came up with an idea. He believed that if he made me mortal, powerless, and sent me to live as a mortal, that I would learn to appreciate all life. He hoped that I would learn to respect balance and all those things that truly embody heaven. He hoped that I would understand what he tried to teach me and would return to him and stand by his side if Lucifer every posed a greater threat. In the end, my father was right, and thanks to all of you I learned to do just that.

"Yet it was my exile of heaven that started the chain of events that inevitably led us to this exact moment. My exile had been the catalyst to Lucifer's release though it did not work out in the end. I was supposed to voluntary release Lucifer and join him against my father. The ultimate revenge against my father, to have to fight his own son as he stood beside his greatest enemy.

Something Lucifer had set in place right before his exile allowed me to maintain my powers in the mortal realm, yet my darkened essence was locked in some twist of fate. This left me somewhat of a shell driven only by my instincts, the instincts of an angel, rather than the darkness that polluted me. This being would become known as SoulBurn and would fight along your side against the darkness and become your friend. At this moment now, I am a mixture of Azrael and SoulBurn, a very powerful conscience if you will. The taint of my soul has lessened with the defeat of Trigon though unlike Raven who is not completely free of him, I am not. He existed within me for far too long and will always be a permanent part of my essence. There will always be a small bit of darkness within me even as I fight the urge to become once more the being that was cast from heaven." A small smile crept to SoulBurn's face.

"It was all of you who helped show me that I had been wrong and that mortals were not beneath me, but equal to me in every way. It was all of you who showed me kindness, friendship, humor, and hope. One of you even showed me what it meant to feel true love." Everyone looked at Blackfire who was still in Starfire's arms and could feel a twinge of sadness enter them all. SoulBurn continued speaking after a brief silence.

"And now, it is time for Azrael to make amends with the universe. It is time I proved that I truly do understand what I was meant to learn." Everyone looked on as grim determination radiated from SoulBurn. It was his father who spoke next.

"What are you planning on doing son? You know as well as I do that nothing can be done to erase the great tragedy that has occurred here."

"There is one way father. I am going to turn back time. I am going to make it as if this battle never happened. I will make sure this city is returned to normal and all those who sacrificed themselves to stop Lucifer will be returned to the world of the living." Raven's body seemed to shake slightly at this information and once again an empty voice emanated from her.

"No hope. He is gone and will never come back. All alone. Always will be all alone." It was heart wrenching to hear for all of them. Terra spoke next.

"Hey SoulBurn. I'm not quite sure I understand everything that is going on here but won't doing what you say your doing bring back Lucifer. Won't making it as if this battle never happened save him as well?" It was Michael who responded.

"No matter what happens. Lucifer is gone. When he was destroyed his essence had nowhere to go. It has no place in Heaven and is locked out of Hell from when he became mortal. It simply faded into nothingness. No matter what, he is gone forever. The greatest nightmare has finally ended." Everyone wanted to smile at this news but still were unable to. Too much still had been lost. SoulBurn's father addressed his son.

"Still Azrael, you know you can't do what you are saying. Even I do not have the power to do something as this." SoulBurn laughed slightly.

"It can be done father for two reasons. One I am willing to give everything I am to bring it about. The other is that I am now stronger than even you now." Michael's eyes widened at his son then his face set into a look that told him to prove it. Everyone watched as white energy slowly began building up around SoulBurn. His entire body seemed to radiate it effortlessly. Once again the Titans found themselves shielding their eyes. When the light disappeared SoulBurn once again stood there but they all knew this was not SoulBurn, but rather Azrael. Two enormous white wings, just like Michael, now sprung from his back. He seemed to hover just above the ground and radiated the same feeling of safety that his father did.

"You see father, I have returned to myself what you took away when you made me mortal. I have returned my pure angelic essence to myself. I am now as I once was, an immortal being of the High Heavens. You no longer can control me in any way for I have surpassed your power." The Arch-Angel Michael carefully studied his son in front of him.

"So what do you plan to do now my son. What do you plan to do now that you are the most powerful being in all existence?" Everything seemed to stand still for what felt like an eternity as they waited for Azrael to respond. A warm smile crossed his face as he turned around studying all the survivors of the battle, Blackfire's prone form, as well as Raven and her mother still in the same position they had been in since she arrived.

"I am going to give it all up father. I now understand that in some way, something must be given to obtain what we wish to do. I will give up my immortality. I will give up my standing as an angel. I will give up all my power and I even will give up millions of years of experience and memories. I am willing to give it all up to do what I wish to do." The two heavenly beings stared at each other for a nearly a minute, everyone was holding their breaths though no one realized it.

"I am very proud of you my son, more proud than I ever thought I could be." Michael glided forward and embraced his son who returned the hug quickly. The hug was short but it was all that was necessary. It had taken so very long, but Michael finally had the son who was born to him and Azrael finally understood all that his father had tried to teach him. Michael stepped back and his voice softened significantly.

"It is time to go Arella. It is time to return to Heaven." Raven's mother reluctantly pulled away and looked one last time into her daughter's eyes. Though almost nothing had been changed, she could see a small sparkle in her eyes.

"Everything will be okay daughter. Hope will always find a way to triumph." Arella joined the side of Michael and looked up at the taller form of the Arch-Angel with a warm smile which was gracefully returned. Azrael studied the interaction carefully.

"So I see you finally have found someone else father. I am glad that you have found some one to help fill the void that mother left so long ago." A blush could be clearly seen on Arella's face as she looked down. Michael reached out and grabbed her hand.

"Yes son. I have found another wonderful soul that I can say I truly love." A sad look suddenly formed on Michael's face.

"Azrael. You understand that by doing what you are doing, you will save everyone but you will be leaving behind Blackfire. You understand that you will lose her." A small smile formed on Azrael's face.

"Remember father. There is always faith and hope. Things will find a way of working out. Good bye father. Good bye Arella. I will see you again." The two had no idea what would happen but gave small nods and disappeared in a flash of light. Azrael turned around to face his remaining friends. His eyes were glowing white as was the rest of his body. He looked down at Raven.

"Raven. Robin will be returned to your side. You have finally gained your freedom from your father. You have earned the chance to no longer have any destiny outside the one you chose. Take care of everyone for me." Raven's eyes turned toward Azrael filled with the slightest bit of hope.

"Thank You." It was never said but could be felt between their minds.

"Beast Boy, Terra. You two are kind, generous, and helped me appreciate the humor and carefreeness that I never knew existed. Tragedy may have separated you once, I hope it never will again. Good luck." Beast Boy placed his arm around Terra and pulled her close to him.

"Thanks man."

"Starfire. You have always been a shining beacon of light in a very dark world. A light that always found a way to endure even in the darkest of circumstances. A light that reached me even in my worst moments. Never change little one and please, please take care of your sister. I love her very much and remember, she will always need her little Kori." Tears were flowing freely from Starfire's green eyes.

"Good Bye my friend. I will miss you greatly." Azrael smiled.

"As you said before Starfire, there is always hope." The young Tamaranian smiled, a true smile of happiness.

"It is time my friends. It is time to set right what has been wronged. To return what has been taken. The mortal realm will no longer be twisted by the whims of greater beings. Destiny and fate created by higher beings will no longer govern the lives of mortals. Everything will be as it was always meant to be. The mortal realm will be returned to a place where anything is possible, whether it be good or bad, without Heaven or Hells interference. You all can create your own lives, your own fates. Good Bye my friends." Azrael closed his eyes and white energy slowly emerged from his body. It quickly engulfed all those around him but did not stop there, the energy continued to grow out in all directions. It would have felt like an eternity to any mortal being, but to Azreal it only took a few minutes. Eventually his power pushed to all corners of the Universe though Azrael could feel himself fading away. He opened his eyes, could feel his connection fully to everything in the mortal realm, to every mortal being in the universe and muttered a few words.

"There will always be love and hope to lead you on," and just like that, it was over.


	38. Life Will Go On

1A/N: Here is the final chapter. I guess I'll take this opportunity to thank everyone who has read my story, especially those who have taken the time to review and let me know what they thought. I enjoyed writing this story as it was basically pieced together from random thoughts, dreams, and strange sources of inspiration and have for awhile wanted to put all that together into something constructive. I hope this final chapter goes as I hoped. I wanted to end on something profound but this is what I produced. Like the last chapter, I may rewrite some parts of it but who knows. Thanks to everyone again and I shall do my final review notes to the two people who reviewed my last chapter. Peace.

Ch. 38: Life Will Go On

To each of them it felt like they were waking up from a dream, or maybe a nightmare would be a better way to describe it though they knew it had been real. Twelve people found themselves laying on a very soft, grainy material and could feel the bright sun beating down on them. The only sound was the gentle movement of calm waves. Slowly everyone got to their feet shaking their heads slightly and waiting for their vision to clear. It only took a few seconds for each of the Titans and the members of Titans East to notice they were on the beach of the island the tower sat on and that everyone who should have been gone was standing in a group with them, seemingly in perfect condition. Cyborg was the first to speak after a short silence by twelve wide-eyed people.

"Does someone want to tell me what the hell just happened?" Instantly Cyborg found himself being tackled to the ground by a black and yellow blur. He found two slender arms wrapped around his neck and a set of full lips pushed against his own. He quickly realized that it was Bumble Bee on top of him and returned the kiss with equal enthusiasm. The rest of the Titans stared at the couple before it finally set in that everyone was alive and back together.

"Mas!"

"Menos!" The two brothers threw themselves at each other in a tight hug as tears of happiness flowed down their cheeks. Starfire let out a high pitch squeal and pulled her sister into the tightest hug she could ever give, filled with incredible joy and happiness that Blackfire was alive. Speedy and Aqualad seemed to study each other for a second and finally decided to toss the whole 'guys don't hug thing' out the window and hugged each other. Terra stood in front of Beast Boy with her back to her as he wrapped his arms lovingly around her. They were happy to simply watch their friend's interactions.

Their eyes slowly drifted over to the only two Titans who were currently not holding someone, Robin and Raven. Robin's mask was gone and they both could see his blue eyes, the first time anyone other than Raven had ever seen them. His eyes were filled with a multitude of feelings as he looked at the small form of Raven. Raven stood about three feet in front of Robin, unmoving. Her hood was down and her face was completely emotionless yet her eyes betrayed everything that she was feeling. Her eyes looked like she was on the verge of tears, but were also filled with confusion and doubt, as if she was refusing to believe Robin was really standing in front of her.

Ever so slowly she moved forward toward Robin. Her mouth seemed to open to say something but no sound came out. She now stood inches from him yet neither of them had made any effort to reach out to the other. Very slowly, Raven raised her arm as the two stared into each other's eyes. She gently caressed the side of his face and a small smile formed on her face as she felt her lover's warmth. Tears started falling as Raven threw herself at Robin, her tiny body beginning to shake from the force of her sobs. Robin pulled her tightly to his chest as a few tears started falling from his eyes. Neither of them noticed that the rest of the Titans were now watching them as the two lovers came together. Raven's voice was quiet but could still be heard.

"Damn it Richard. Don't ever leave me again. Please don't ever leave me again. I can't live without you." Robin did not response right away put gently tilted Raven's head up so he could look her in the eyes. He held her gaze for a few seconds before speaking.

"Nothing will ever take me away from you again. I will be beside you every morning you wake up. I will be there for every good moment and every bad moment. I will love fully and completely now and forever." The two kissed for what seemed like an eternity, which in fact was a few minutes. Eventually everyone started clapping for the two young lovers which caused them to break away from their little session. A slight brush creept onto Raven's face as she saw all the eyes on her.

"I hate to interrupt you two cuz I know I want to be doing the same thing with Bee right about now but could someone tell me what the hell just happened. My sensors are telling me that today is the day we had our beach party, the day SoulBurn reappeared. How the hell did we end up back in time? And not to ruin the good feelings, but shouldn't a few of us be dead?" It was Terra who spoke though it was a gentle and quiet voice.

"It was SoulBurn or rather his true self Azrael. He wished to make everything right and he did that. He ascended back to his true immortal form only to sacrifice everything that he was to turn back time to when we were all still alive, to a time when the city was still at peace. He gave up everything to bring us all back together, to give us a chance to all live again as friends and family." A few small tears managed to fall from her eyes as she spoke.

"There's a lot more that needs explaining but now is not the time. Let us just all be happy for this moment, the moment that he gave us." Terra was now openly crying as Beast Boy hugged her.

"Thank you so much Azrael. Thank you for everything."

Everyone watched the scene with sad eyes but knew that she was right. If there ever was a moment of be happy, it was now. He would have wanted it that way.

It suddenly clicked in everyone's head that SoulBurn was gone and quickly everyone turned to Blackfire who was standing quietly next to her sister. With everything that happened, they had almost forgotten about her. Everyone had been united back together, except one. The only person who Blackfire cared as much about as her sister, was gone. Blackfire's head was tilted down and it was hard to see her eyes though everyone was a little surprised to see a small smile on her face. She slowly lifted her head and everyone could see the tears about to fall but she continued to smile.

"You're right Terra, he would have wanted us to be happy, to live on as the people he befriended, the people he loved." Starfire looked at Blackfire with slight confusion.

"Sister?" Blackfire turned to Starfire.

"Its back Kori. I finally feel whole again. For the first time in so long, I am complete again. It was his final gift to me, the final way he could show me he loved me." Blackfire hugged her sister as she started crying. Starfire was confused as to what her sister was talking about, but returned the hug nonetheless. Blackfire continued to speak in between sobs as she held her sister.

"That damn noble idiot. I always knew he would do something like this. I just didn't think it would be so soon." Starfire rubbed the back of her sister, trying to comfort her.

"I am so sorry sister. I know how much you wished for him to return to you. I know how you wished for him to comfort you after the great tragedy that befell you but I know that he will always be with you no matter what. He will always be somewhere, watching over you. He is and always will be your guardian angel." Blackfire hugged tighter and then slowly pulled away with a slight look of confusion in her sad eyes.

"What do you mean great tragedy sis? What are you talking about? Other than today, my life has been happiest I've ever been since I met SoulBurn and it doesn't seem like your talking about all this." Starfire returned her look of confusion but then smiled warmly.

"I am just having trouble expressing my feelings in the major language of Earth. I was talking about this. I am sorry if I confused you sister." Blackfire smiled.

"Same old Kori. X'hal how I love you." Blackfire once again hugged her sister who was fully taking in what had just occurred. The rest of the Titans were figuring it out as well.

SoulBurn have left one other gift for Blackfire, a gift hopefully she would never know about. They all remembered exactly what had transpired from this day until that fateful battle against Lucifer yet Blackfire was missing one important group of memories. She had no memory of the horror and pain she had suffered at the hands of that madman. She was free of that burden, a burden no one should ever have to carry. She would be free, free to carry on with her life uninhibited, to truly have a second chance. Of course in a way, Blackfire was the only one who truly understood just how big the second chance was that had been granted to her. Her soul had been returned to her and that was the greatest gift she could have ever had.

All the Titans looked around at each other and couldn't help but smile. None of them had ever thought this is where they would end up when the battle against Lucifer had started but they couldn't help but be happy despite being minus 1 in their numbers. Robin decided to speak.

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm starving. Who's up for ordering some pizza?" His suggestion was met with cheers, followed by the infamous arguing between Beast Boy and Cyborg about meat. Even Raven felt herself grinning at their antics. Some things just never would change and everyone in their hearts knew that was the greatest thing. Beast Boy took off sprinting toward the tower yelling something about getting there first to order all vegetarian pizza with Cyborg chasing right after him screaming insults. Everyone followed the two toward the tower except Robin and Raven who stayed behind. They both turned toward the ocean, admiring the simple beauty that was there.

"So its finally over. No more prophecies or Armageddon or great demon lords trying to take over the world. I guess life is going to get a whole lot less interesting." Raven grinned at Robin's lame attempt at humor.

"My father is gone forever never to return. The mortal realm is now on its own once again. Our lives will be only what we want it to be, no greater forces pushing in one direction or another. We are free to do as we choose, to make our own mistakes, and to follow whatever path we want. ." Robin placed his arm around Raven and pulled her close.

"Is SoulBurn truly gone?" Raven felt her smile falter but knew that question would come.

"I don't know. I just don't know. He was the most powerful and unique being that probably ever existed and what he did to bring us all back was something that has never occurred before. I don't know what happened to him. He could have faded away completely like my father or something completely different. No one could possible know for sure." They were so engrossed in their conversation that they didn't even realize Blackfire was behind them until she spoke.

"But there's always hope isn't there." The two turned around to see Blackfire staring out toward the city with a small smile on her face.

"Hey Blackfire, didn't see you there." She smiled at the two.

"I just walked up to tell you two you better hurry up if you actually want to get anything that is remotely edible. The topping ideas that I heard everyone saying were pretty frightening, even for me." Robin and Raven smiled at her.

"Are you sure your going to be okay Blackfire? I know how close you and SoulBurn were, or at least were getting."

"I'll be fine…eventually. Just like you two, I have no idea what happened to him, whether he still exists in some way or another, but deep inside me, in a place I had lost for so long, I can feel him still. I can feel his love and I know that all he wants for us is to be happy with the lives he's given us a chance to live. I want nothing more than to see him again but right now, I'm content with being alive and having all of you." Robin was amazed just how much Blackfire sounded like her sister. The Universe truly was a surprising place. Robin was even more surprised when Raven walked forward and gave Blackfire a supporting hug.

"Thanks Raven…now let's all go join the others. If I know Starfire, she probably wants some type of group hug." Robin and Raven nodded with smiles and the three walked toward their home to be with their family and for the first time in such a long time, there was no shadow of some dark plot hanging over them all.

Robin's thoughts drifted slightly as he walked, simply contemplating everything that was. Life was not perfect but it wasn't really supposed to be. There would always be villains and there would always be heroes to fight them. There would always be the wicked who would try and prey on the innocent. There would always be death and tragedy, life and happiness. The most beautiful part of life is that no one ever knows what is to come, no one knows what tomorrow will bring. Tomorrow could be sad, tomorrow could be joyous, tomorrow could be just another pointless day, but in the end, there is always the chance anything could happen and therein lays the hope that would never fade away.


End file.
